Harry Potter and the Legend of the Phoenix
by knayram
Summary: I'm back!!! Harry and his friends face evil once again, and Harry, with newfound powers, must overcome them and realize his destiny. New friends and enemies fight him along the way. Please R/R!!!
1. Of Pimples and Hail

Harry Potter and the Legend of the Phoenix  
  
A/N: This place is called fanfiction.net for a reason! I own none of the characters   
presented in this little ol' piece of mine, they're all the creation of J. K. Rowling. This is my unofficial sequel to GoF. BTW, if I get something wrong, it's because I don't have the HP books with me at present. Also, if I decide to do chapters, remember....I'm a high school student with a job. I've got other stuff to do. Don't send death threats if parts are slow in coming. 2/18/01  
  
Chapter One  
Of Pimples and Hail  
  
  
The weather surrounding Privet Drive was not the average, mundane fog or rain. In fact, it was anything but. Hail bulleted down in massive waves, and small tornadoes tore at the simple homes and well-manicured lawns. In the black of night, the small projectiles gleamed in the moonlight. It seemed, to the untrained eye, that this disorder was centralized on only this particular part of the suburbs, but, to those who knew best, it seemed to hail and shriek the hardest at a certain window on 4 Privet Drive.   
  
Harry Potter brought his hands up over his ears to muffle the sound of hail against the house. His one window was barred up again, as Uncle Vernon had finally realized that the much talked about infamous Sirius Black was a complete no show. He was, Harry suspected, beginning to test the validity of the letters he received from his godfather as well. Any day now, Harry would have to move back to the cupboard under the stairs. Harry winced in pain as an occasionalpiece of unusually large hail rattled the bars. The glass had long since shattered room where the first bit of ice had chanced to hit, but, for some reason, nothing, not even the glass, had fallen into his meager bedroom, nor had the wind.   
  
He snuggled deeper into the covers of his bed and adjusted the angle of his flashlight. "Newt eyes are especially useful for.....er...." Hastily, is hand reached from under his covers and grabbed his potions book from under his pillow. He was flipping through the book when the flashlight gave one last, valiant beam, before faltering and dying. "Damn it!" he cursed. It had taken a fair amount of sneaking to find a muggle flashlight and muggle batteries. And now, he had no way of finishing his Potions homework, a five foot long report on the various uses of newt eyes and it's magical qualities. Professor Snape, the Potions Master, was going to have a field day when his least-liked student turned in five inches of unintelligible scrawl.   
  
Harry closed his eyes in exasperation and brought his hands up in the darkness. "What I wouldn't do for a light..." he thought to himself. Feeling a warm rosy glow against his eyelids, he opened his eyes and gasped. The flashlight had miraculously revived. "Guess the batteries aren't as dead as I thought they were." he murmured to himself and he again immersed himself in newt eyes. It was hours later when Harry, exhausted, finished his report. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. Inadvertently, he glanced at the clock by his bed.   
  
12:01am.   
  
He had been fifteen years old for a whole minute. Yawning, he flopped down, nuzzling his pillow. He was on the verge of sleep when he heard a tapping against bars. It sounded different from the usual pitter-pat of hail. "What could that be?" Harry thought quizzically. He focused on the window and saw something dart between the bars. It was Pig, Ron's tiny, hyper owl. The poor thing looked beat, and the small feathery creature shuddered and collapsed in Harry's hand. A battered letter was tied to it's leg. Removing the letter, he gently put a finger to Pig's chest, and was relieved to feel a heartbeat. He brought it quickly to the relative comfort of Hedgwig's cage, and was glad to see Hedgwig take Pig into her care without complaint.   
  
He looked down at the letter in his hand. It lay heavily against his palm. It had to be at least twice Pig's weight. Harry looked at Pig with renewed respect and tore the envelope. It was clean and dry on the inside, leading Harry to believe that Mr. or Mrs. Weasely had put a charm it. He gasped when he unfolded it. It had to be at least twenty feet long, and written in tiny writing too.   
  
  
It read:  
  
  
Dear Harry,  
Ron here. You won't believe what has happened! You're front page news in the Daily Prophet, and Professor Dumbledore and Fudge are here, in our house, talking about you. I was listening at the door when I heard Dumbledore say you were isolated in that house of yours (and with muggles!) Turns out, that freak storm over your street is You-Know-Who's work. He is trying to keep the ministry and Dumbledore away from you, and the hail isn't ordinary hail, it's enchanted to form a barrier. No good wizard can stand it. Dumbledore says it's very old, dark magic and impossible to break. Fortunately, a curse like that can't last longer than a few days. We'll get you out buddy! Wait....Dumbledore's coming! Oh. He wants to use Pig. Says Pig is small and agile enough to make it through the hail to you. He wants to send you something. I'll see you soon Harry! Dumbledore will get you out. Oh yeah, before I forget, Hermione says "hi". She's been trying to owl you for days I hear.   
  
RON  
  
  
"Wow," thought Harry, looking out into the darkness. "So, that stuff is dangerous, is it?" He walked to the window and put out his hand. Remembering Ron's warning, he put on the thickest gloves he could find. He caught a chunk of ice and brought it in, careful not to touch it. Ron was right. Now that he was seeing one close up, it did look out of the ordinary. It was a faint purple color, and seemed to glow, though that might have been from the flashlight Harry held. He prodded it once more with a gloved finger. It didn't do anything. Harry returned to the rest of his letter.   
  
  
Harry,  
  
I trust Ron filled you in on the hail? Good. I thought I heard someone sneeze at the door. Don't touch it, Harry. If it doesn't kill you, you'll probably be in considerable pain instead. Remember how I told you that you were safest with your relatives? This might not be true anymore. Voldemort is more powerful then ever. Your blood running in his body has somehow broken the charm I erected years ago. I and the other professors have been putting protective charms on your house so stay there, it's the safest place to be. And Harry, I want you to know that we're doing everything possible to help you. You'll still be coming to Hogwarts this year. Enclosed, you'll find your usual official letter and a list of supplies. Mrs. Weasely will be getting your supplies for you, owing to your unusual predicament. Oh yes, and I thought you'd like to know that Hermione Granger has been chosen as prefect for your house.   
  
Professor Dumbledore  
Headmaster   
  
  
Indeed, Harry discovered his usual green letter from Hogwarts, and a list of supplies. Hermione? A prefect? No surprise there. Harry again looked at the piece of hail. It hadn't melted. "Harry!" screamed Aunt Petunia. Surprised, Harry saw that the sun had been up for a while. Jumping out of bed, he raced to the door before his Aunt could shout again.  
  
"Lookie Mom! Harry has a pimple!" squealed Dudley, the Dursely's son. Dursely was so fat now that he had to walk sideways through the doors in the house. Apparently, the diet hadn't worked out. Maybe because Dudley was sneaking into town and using his vast amounts of allowance money to buy ice-creams, cakes, and the like. Harry passed a hand over his face and found nothing. He looked at Dudley. "No Harry," said Mrs. Dursely, smiling perhaps for the first time in weeks. "A big fat red one, on your nose." With this, the Durselys burst out laughing as Harry felt the tip of his nose and discovered they were right. His face burned. "Well," thought Harry, "at least they're not accusing me of this storm, which really is my fault, in a way."  
  
Mr. Dursely walked in, a dark scowl on his face. "Look at this storm!" He bellowed, shooting accusing looks in Harry's general direction. "I'll never be able to drive in this hail.... wait a minute." Uncle Vernon's face had gone pasty white. "Oh my God! Petunia! Did I put the car in the garage yesterday?" "No," said Aunt Petunia serenely. "I remember you leaving the car in the driveway to shout at that pesky neighbor from next door... oh!" her eyes widened as well. They both rushed to the window to find the car, now a broken heap, still receiving damaging hits from the hail.   
  
"We can still save it! Hurry Petunia, lets get out there and push it into the garage..." Aunt Petunia backed away. "I'm not going out in this weather!" She sat down resolutely on a chair. "Dudley...?" beseeched Uncle Vernon. Dudley's beady little eyes darted from side to side and rested on Harry's gangly form, hunched up in a corner. With a calculating smile, he said, "Take Harry, Dad! This is probably his fault. Him and his friends." "You're absolutely right, Dudley!" said Uncle Vernon proudly. "Just what I was about to say. Harry, go out," Uncle Vernon was hit by a rare spark of thought, "all by yourself! Yes, push that car in on your own. And don't use the M word." He shuddered as he said it. All references to magic was prohibited in the Dursley household.   
  
Harry found himself being pushed toward the door by eager hands. "No!" yelled Harry as he struggled to fight against the Dursleys. "You don't understand. You're about to commit murder!" Uncle Vernon cackled. "Sure, Harry," he said sarcastically. "We're about to kill you, huh? Like how you said your godfather was Sirius Black?" The room erupted in laughter. "Get out there, pimple boy, and push the car into the garage! While you're at it, maybe you can shovel the walk too...." There was another wave of laughter, and, against his will, Harry found himself holding desperately to the door frame.   
  
The hail was mere inches from his skin.... It was impossible, but was the door frame actually getting smaller? It was! The harder the Dursleys tried to push him out the door and into the hail, the faster the door shrank. It didn't take long. The door was now the size of a mousehole and it sould've been sheer lunacy for the Durseys to try and shove anything out of it.   
  
Defeated and angry, Uncle Vernon shouted, "You did that magic thing again, didn't you, boy? There is to be NO MAGIC IN THIS HOUSE AS LONG AS I LIVE!" Aunt Petunia shrank in fear each time Uncle Vernon said "magic." "I'll teach you right... just not now. I have to save my car." With a purple face, Uncle Vernon stomped out to the living room to call up a tow truck, or   
anything, really, that could take his car away to safety. "Go to your room!" gasped Aunt Petunia as she too raced out of the room.   
  
Harry didn't need to be told twice. He was still in shock at how close he'd come to death. And at the hands of the Dursleys, not even Voldemort. Harry sighed as he walked into his room, his thoughts still on Voldemort. This was probably why he never noticed Dudley, previously unaccounted for in the doorframe fiasco, grin as he picked up the charmed piece of ice Harry had brought in through the window, and hurl it at him.  
  
Harry, out of reflex, caught the thing thrown at him without a thought, and, with horror, realized what it was. He closed his eyes, prepared to die ... and nothing happened. Blinking in surprise, Harry fingered the ice more, and found he was experiencing nothing, not even a tingle. The ice seemed to glow a more brilliant purple, before dying out   
and turning black. Dudley, unaware of the magnitude of what he had just done, cried, "Ew! You're doing the magic thing again! Stop making the ice all weird....Mom! Dad!" and Dudley ran out of the room.   
  
Harry couldn't take it anymore. Magical hail or not, he was getting out this house. He yanked at the secret floor board under his bed, and, with admirable speed, emptied out his pillowcase and stuffed his letters, books, homework, and extra food into it. With Hedgwig's cage in hand, and a suitcase in the other, he rushed down the stairs, even as he heard Dudley begin to tattle to his father. Reaching the cupboard where the Dursleys hid his magical things at the beginning of each and every summer, he emptied it of his belongings. The scene was reminiscent of when, two years ago, he had stormed out of the house and to the Knight Bus.   
  
His anger and shock provided him with unprecedented power. Everything seemed to happen without a wand or conscious thought. Doors exploded before him. The suitcase and cage should've weighed him down, but he felt as if nothing could deter him from leaving this disgusting hell hole. "Oh my...." screamed Aunt Petunia as Harry blew past.   
  
"Harry!" bellowed Uncle Vernon, "Don't you DARE ever come back to my home! You ungrateful little..." he, fortunately, never finished his sentence as, with a glare, Harry unknowingly sent his uncle flying toward the other side of the room. The door he had shrunk in desperation grew back and exploded before him. The hail was now about him.   
  
Hazily, Harry realized he should now have been stoned by the hail, but nothing happened. He was completely unharmed. He had erected a shield around himself and his things with raw power. However, Harry was still unaware of what he had done. He walked briskly until he was past the hail storm. Fumbling, he reached deep into his bag for his unused wand to flag down the knight bus.   
  
  
  
  
Chapter Two   
  
The Knight Bus  
Another Trip to the Underground  
  
  
"What's with you?" said the new driver with a careless nod in Harry's direction. Harry saw, with relief, that the driver from his last trip was nowhere to be found. Here, again, he could hide his identity.   
  
"Nothing much," lied Harry easily and he prepared to lug his things into the bus. With a start, he realized that his bags and Hedgwig's cage were floating by his side. They fell with a thump at Harry's shocked gaze. Hedgwig and Pig let out painful hoots. Luckily, the driver noticed none of this. He was intensely interested in the weather, not Harry. "Lookie boy! A hail storm. So unexpected!" He goggled at the dark clouds. "I think I read something about a hail storm in the Daily Prophet! I wish I could remember..." The bus driver scratched his head. Harry flattened his bangs and nodded. "Oh! How impolite of me! My name is Neil! I'll help you with those things." Neil jumped lightly off the bus and helped Harry carry his things inside. Taking one last look at the storm, he whistled and shut the door.   
  
Once inside, Harry looked around. He was the sole passenger. "You're quite lucky you didn't have to go through the storm," said Neil as if he had suddenly remembered something. Harry broke out in a cold sweat. Ron had mentioned something about a newspaper.... Neil looked at him suspiciously. Harry gulped. "Come on, buddy, let's have it." Neil tapped his foot impatiently. So he knew! Harry was about to blab it all, the freak weather, Dumbledore's message, everything, when Neil held out his hand. Oh! A light suddenly flickered in Harry's brain. Reaching deep into his suitcase, he produced the required number of silver sickles and said, "Diagon Alley, please." "There now! Thought you could try and get a free ride outta me..." Neil grumbled to himself.   
  
"As I was saying," Neil said, all smiles once more. "Lucky you didn't have to go through that hail. You do look like a weak thing." Harry took a good look at himself. Neil probably thought he had been walking by, and, wanting to avoid the storm, and had hitched a ride. His dry clothes and unrumpled appearance seemed to attest to that. He also noticed a few other things about himself. Besides the nasty pimple Dudley had pointed out, he had grown up. No longer small and undersized for his age, he was, instead, gangly and tall. He was still a lightweight, but he could feel muscles building up in his arms and legs. He glanced at his hands and saw they were white. He must be really pale then. That would explain why Neil thought him weak.   
  
Harry suddenly laughed to himself as it all clicked. Of course! The pimples, the sudden growth spurt... he was going through puberty! And it was his birthday. "So..." said Neil as he maneuvered the bus with all the skill and grace of a blind elephant. "What's your name? Whatcha doin' in these muggle parts?" Harry racked his brain. He couldn't very well be Neville Longbottom again. The similarity between the bus driver's name and Nevil's would lead him to believe it had been hastily made-up. "Umm....my name is....Draco Malfoy!" "Arggh!" thought Harry. Where did that come from?   
  
The bus driver recoiled. "Malfoy?! Let's just say I've heard a thing or two about you guys." he chuckled nervously. "Of course, it's all good Mr. Malfoy..." he ranted and then smartly fell quiet.   
  
The ride was progressing in this silent fashion when a siren sounded throughout the bus. "Sorry Mr. Malfoy," babbled Neil. "It seems the Ministry Task Force is pulling us aside. I'm sure it's nothing! Nothing to do with you! No..." he continued along this vein, even as a sleek black car pulled up beside them.   
  
"Harry? Harry! You there?" cried a familiar voice. "Mr. Weasely?" questioned Harry. This was unbelievable! But then, a lot had happened today that was like that. He didn't want to think about it. "Harry?" the bus driver repeated, confused. 'There's no Harry here Mr. Ministry-guy Sir. There's only," his voice dropped into a theatrical whisper, "a Malfoy!"   
  
"No," said Ron's father positively. "The young man you have sitting in your bus is Harry Potter!" Harry raced up to Mr. Weasely. "How did you find me?!" he shouted excitedly. Neil slumped in his chair.   
  
"Harry...Potter?" he said in a daze. "I remember now! There was an article in the Daily Prophet about you, warning us about that hail storm .... It really is you then! And...you didn't flag me down because you wanted to avoid the hail...you...you walked right through it! Oh my, oh my....." Harry was surprised. Neil wasn't as dense as he had formerly appeared.   
  
"Come on Harry," said Mr. Weasely. "Let's get you someplace safe!"   
  
  



	2. An Unexpected Twist

  
Chapter 3  
An Unexpected Twist  
  
  
Mr. Weasely kept a close eye on Harry during the drive toward his mysterious haven. Harry was beginning to get angry again. Everytime he looked up, he caught Ron's dad staring at him.   
  
"Are they going to expel me for using magic?" he wondered. It didn't seem likely. He couldn't see anyone thinking of Azkaban as a "safe place," which was where he felt he'd certainly go if in trouble. "Er....Mr. Weasely," started Harry, "where are we going?" "I'm taking you to the Minsitry." said Mr. Weasely promptly. "I'm sorry Harry, but they saw what happened at your house today and they want to ask some questions." Harry suddenly found it very hard to breathe. "They're going to send you to Azkaban, they're going to send you to Azkaban..." his mind silently chanted.   
  
"Couldn't we go to Hogwarts instead?" said Harry hopefully. "I wouldn't mind it if Professor Dumbledore asked me some things, but Fudge...." he shivered in distaste. Last year, he had seen the full extent of Fudge's narrow-mindedness. He wouldn't even acknowledge Voldemort's return, and had instead questioned Harry's integrity. "I'm sorry, Harry," he said again. "But the Minister of Magic is my boss, you'll have to see him." Seeing Harry squirm, he added, "It'll only take a few weeks."   
  
Harry gave up and closed his eyes. He might as well fall asleep, he reasoned, and dream about his beloved Hogwarts. It was obvious that he wouldn't be seeing it again for quite some time. He concentrated on the winding passageways, the hidden doors, The Fat Lady, the Gryffindor common room.... and suddenly, he was there. Harry opened his eyes, and was surprised to find, instead of the soft velvety seats of the Ministry car, the gargoyle statue that guarded Dumbledore's office.   
  
"Hello?" Harry called out, feeling foolish. He was convinced this was a dream, but so realistic! "Might as well go with it," Harry thought. Harry racked his brain for a password. "Lemon drops? cockroach clusters? Hmmm...." Harry stared into the stone statue's blank eyes, and, without a thought, shouted "Hoggleleetz!" The gargoyle complied and revealed the entrance to the office. Harry blinked. It had worked? This really HAD to be a dream, as he had never heard the word hoggleleeze, hoggleblah... hoggle whatever before.  
  
"Who's there?" shouted Dumbledore as Harry's footsteps echoed through the hallway. "Just me, Sir." said Harry rather timidly. Even in a dream, Dumbledore could still make him shake when the twinkle left his eyes. "Ha...Harry?" said Dumbledore in disbelief. "How did you get here? I just got an owl saying that you were on your way to the Ministry!" "Well, er, I don't particularly know myself, Sir," said Harry. Dumbledore grabbed his arm and ushered him into his office.   
  
"Isn't this a dream?" asked a thoroughly shaken Harry. He was beginning to doubt it. Dumbledore's hand on his arm had felt real enough. "No, Harry. Is that what you think this is? I'm afraid I'm going to have to question you."   
  
No punishment? No nothing? Harry sighed in relief and began to babble out his story, beginning with Ron's letter, and ending with his mysterious knowledge of the password. "It seems to me," said Dumbledore, "that Mr. Weasely must be out of his mind. To have been in charge of looking out for you, and to have you disappear before his eyes! Now, I want you to   
concentrate on the Ministry car, of the exact moment after you decided to dream of Hogwarts." At Harry's confused stare, Dumbledore smiled gently and said, "It will all be explained soon. I promise."   
  
Obediently,Harry closed his eyes and thought of the velvet and leather, the exhaust fumes, Mr. Weasely...and he found himself back in the Ministry car, listening to Mr. Weasely say, "Cheer up Harry. We owled Dumbledore a few minutes ago. You'll see him at the Ministry."   
  
  
  
Chapter Four  
The Gorenth Test  
  
  
The car sped along the winding streets. They passed Diagon Alley, and various other streets and passageways. Harry craned his neck, intent on taking in all the delights of the Underground in one sitting. Mr. Weasely smiled at the sight Harry made. He was literally plastered to the tinted glass, and nothing short of a chisel could have pried him away. What Harry saw took his breath away.  
  
The streets were filled with robed figures. The stores glowed with magical brilliance, and Harry found more than one unrecognizable object. "What's that orb going about the streets?" asked Harry. He had seen a crystal ball, about five inches in diameter, floated about the crowd. "Oh," said Mr. Weasely carelessly. "That's a scout. That's how the Ministry keeps an eye on the wizards and witches." Mr. Weasely seemed preoccupied with something else, so Harry soon gave up trying to worm any information out of him.  
  
The car began to slow down, and Harry's eyes widened in awe. The building they were pulling up to was enormous. The walls were a gleaming, anesthetic white, and the wrought iron fences had the words "Ministry of Magic" curled into them. There was a scout positioned atop every point of the fence, and a bewitched water fountain spewed forth scented water and rose petals. "Come along Harry." said Mr. Weasely. Harry looked down at himself and sighed. he had his muggle clothes on, and his bags and other things were still in the car. Seeing Mr. Weasely's retreating back, he quickly ran after him, abandoning the hope of changing and making a better impression on the Ministry workers.  
  
The doors opened up before them and revealed a mass of winding corridors. "Follow me closely," said Mr. Weasely. Harry did. Right, left, left, left, right.... Mr. Weasely seemed to know exactly where he was going, but each door they passed through seemed the same as the last. All Harry could discern was that they were going downwards, probably through a mass of tunnels.   
  
At last, out of nowhere, they came to the shabbiest door of all. Harry stared at it in distaste. The paint was chipped, and there were cobwebs lining the doorknob. "This it it." Shrugging, Harry moved to turn the knob, but Mr. Weasely stopped him. "Harry," he said in a strangled voice. Harry looked up. He was surprised by Mr. Weasely's pale, taunt face. "Whatever you do, whatever happens, be on guard. Understand? Don't take anything for granted!" With those words of warning Mr. Weasely gently pushed him through the door, and locked it behind him.  
  
Harry was scared. He was all alone in a totally dark room. Maybe this was a test? If so, he'd need a light to see. He smiled. Maybe this wasn't going to be so hard afterall. He was a wizard! Reaching into his pocket, his hand slowly froze in terror. He had left his wand in his bag.   
  
"Well, I can't just sit here and snivel," thought Harry to himself. Cautiously he felt for the wall, and made a startling discovery. There wasn't any wall. Slowly, he turned around, groping for the door he had just passed through. There wasn't any door. He could feel nothing but a cool breeze of stale air wafting about his reaching fingers. Bewildered, he felt the floor and was inordinately happy to feel, finally, something solid against his hand. Guessing from the texture of the floor, it was stone, rough and unpolished. Going on hands and knees, he began his journey through whatever space he was in.  
  
  
Dumbledore was in a panic. He had arrived a few minutes after Harry, and and found Mr. Weasely all alone, a look of pain on his face. "What has happened?" Dumbledore yelled. Mr. Weasely looked up. "I'm so sorry Albus," he whispered. "But there was nothing I could do. Fudge has ordered it. He's ordered that the Gorenth Test be performed on Harry." "The Gorenth Test.... but he knows nothing! He's been through no training!" shouted Dumbledore. "Doesn't Fudge realize he's sent Harry to his death?" "Surely the test isn't that harsh," protested Weasely. "Oh, but it is," said Dumbledore grimly. "Not many know of it, but only two people in a millennia have ever gotten through it and lived. Me.... and Voldemort."  
  
  
  
  



	3. Harry's Test

A/N: For all the people out there who actually read my story, thanks  
so much for reviewing and sorry the last two chapters were so short!   
BTW, sorry if I have typoes. My fingers are frozen!   
  
Chapter 5  
Harry's Test  
  
Harry, oblivious to the reputation the Gorenth Test held, made his  
way slowly across the rough stone. His stomach growled, and he  
realized with a pang that he hadn't eaten all day. "What great timing  
the Ministry has," thought Harry. "They could've fed me before  
locking me up. Oh, I wish I had a light." He blinked as suddenly, a  
ball of blue light appeared in his hands. Startled, he dropped it, and the   
brilliant flame died as it hit the floor. Curious, Harry again held out his  
hands and concentrated on a light. Again, the blue flame rose in his  
palms. This time, he took the time to examine it, bringing it close to his  
face. It reminded him of the flame he had conjured up so many times  
before with his wand. He threw up the flame like a ball, and laughed  
in delight as the blue light bounced willingly. He felt no heat,  
and nothing, not even a blister, formed in the palms that held the little  
fireball. "What's happening to me?" he wondered, even as his hands  
molded and shaped the flame fancifully into triangles, squares, and  
hexagons. He still knew so little of the wizarding world, so was this  
considered normal? Were wizards and witches able to do a bit of   
magic without their wands?  
Unknown to Harry, crystal scouts were hidden all about him.  
Hundreds of feet above his head, the assorted witches and wizards were  
gasping in awe as they witnessed a wizard, a child really, mold a blue  
flame into glowing animals. Soon, Harry had dozens of his creations  
floating about him. Birds glowing with the blue light of Harry's   
flame flew graceful about him, providing him with all the light he'd ever   
need. "Did you see that? Did you see it?!" yelled Fudge excitedly.  
"We've finally found the One!"   
"Fudge!" bellowed Dumbledore as he knocked down the door hiding   
the twelve Ministry Officials with a spell. "What have you   
done?!" "Er....Dumbledore..." acknowledged Fudge nervously as   
he backed away. The others did the same. Dumbledore looked   
dangerous, powerful, and angry. "I studied for years to pass the  
  
Gorenth Test," whispered Dumbledore. "And even then, I barely made   
it out alive, though I didn't pass. Now, you send an unknowing boy," he   
pointed to the giant crystal the others had been staring into. Harry was  
pictured inside, picking his way careful along the treacherous road with  
his magical lights about him. "Do you realize, that Harry has no idea  
of what he's getting himself into? That he doesn't even know what the  
Gorenth Test is?" Dumbledore looked contemptuously down at the   
cowering Fudge and his associates before whirling around and making  
his way to Harry. "I have to save him!" thought Dumbledore to   
himself. Those nitwits in the office were obviously not going to help.  
Harry had never been more confused in his life. He felt great   
power course through his being, but he didn't know where it had come  
from. The passageway, once lighted, revealed a tunnel. "Where did that   
come from?" he mumbled to himself. He could've sworn he'd felt no   
wall before. It seemed to stretch forever, and Harry, peering  
ahead, could predict no end, turn, or split in the path. He desperately   
wanted his wand. He knew nothing of his new capabilities, and wanted  
his old friend to point him in the right direction. Knowing there was no   
way he'd be able to get out the way he had come in, Harry raced along   
the tunnel.  
Harry finally stopped to catch his breath after a few minutes. It   
seemed to him that this tunnel was just what it appeared to be...endless.  
Harry moved to lean against the wall when a familiar voice shouted,  
"No!" Harry froze. The voice belonged to none other than Professor   
Dumbledore.   
Harry turned and ran toward the voice. Dumbledore again   
shouted, "No!" He stopped. "What am I supposed to do?" he yelled   
back. "Harry, run away from my voice. Nothing is as it seems in this   
place! Now go!" Harry complied, running blindly away from the voice,   
and, a few minutes later, he ran smack into Dumbledore. Utterly   
confused, Harry gripped onto Dumbledore's robes. Dumbledore was   
guiding him toward the exit when he felt a sharp pain in his scar.   
Moaning, he collapsed. "My scar!" he gasped. Dumbledore looked   
quickly at Harry's ashen face and helped him up. "Hurry!" Dumbledore   
said as he guided Harry through a section of the seemingly solid wall.  
Harry was blinded by pain. Closing his eyes tightly, he felt  
himself lose consciousness.  
Harry awoke in a familiar room. "How are you my dear?" asked   
Madame Pomfrey, her face lined with worry. Madame Pomfrey? That could  
only mean...."Wha....I'm at Hogwarts?" "Yes," said Madame Pomfrey.  
"I'll go get Dumbledore. He wants to talk to you." She left the room.   
Harry, left to himself, tried to get up, and was again, blinded by the  
dull ache in his scar. Bits and pieces of information suddenly lept  
into his head. He now knew, for instance, that Vodlemort had attacked  
the Ministry of Magic and that Fudge had been kidnapped. But why? Harry  
racked his brain, but nothing came to him.   
"Hello Harry, I see you're awake." Harry looked up from his  
musings and saw Dumbledore. "I want to know what exactly happened to me!  
What was that place? What did Voldemort do?" "Calm down, I will tell  
you everything," said Dumbledore softly.   
"I first heard of the Gorenth Test while a young auror," he  
began. "Only a few select people ever heard of it, and even a fewer  
number of them knew what it entailed. I was proud and presumptuous then,  
I knew I was more powerful than my peers, and it made me feel as if I  
were above them. I immediately made it my business to find out all I could  
of the Gorenth, and I trained hard..." "But what is it?" broke in Harry.  
"Patience," said Dumbledore. "I'm getting there. As I was saying, I   
trained hard, because it was foretold by Merlin himself that the one that  
passed the Gorenth would be his chosen successor, a man of unprecedented  
power. This man would be the greatest Wizard ever known, with abilities  
Merlin himself, though great, never had. He would be the one to purge   
the world of evil, to maintain harmony. However," here, Dumbledore  
gave his mouth a bitter twist, "those who failed were destined to be a  
plague on this earth, of which only one would be an exception, the  
one who'd train the Chosen One. I was convinced of my own greatness,  
so I took the test.   
Now, you see, the others who heard this prophecy  
feared the wrath of those who were fated to fail. They were called  
the Order of the Phoenix, as they believed Merlin's spirit would arise  
again in a destined individual, much like the phoenix rises from it's  
ashes. A select group within the Order decided to tweak the test.  
People like Fudge changed Merlin's trial so that it was a death trap.   
They believed that, so long as the basic rules of the Gorenth  
were preserved, the Chosen One would still manage to pass. What they   
didn't count on, was the growing build up of evil power. You see,  
each time a wizard fated to fail was killed, the evilness that was  
supposed to be bestowed upon them was never handed out. When  
Voldemort managed to fail the test but survive, all the pent up evil   
was handed down to him, concentrated into almost invincible power.   
It is now unknown if Voldemort has managed to surpass even the power   
of the Phoenix. All because a few petty men tampered with the test."   
Harry had never seen anyone look so bitter.  
"Once I failed the test, I was looked upon with fear. People  
believed I was about to turn against them, that the evil presided in me.  
But I fought it, and managed to retain the extra power it gave me.   
I joined the Order of the Phoenix and have dedicated my life toward   
finding the One." Dumbledore bowed his head as he remembered. What   
he said next nearly gave Harry a heart attack. "You are our Phoenix."   
  
  
  



	4. Answers

  
A/N: Phew! Did anyone else notice that Fanfiction.net was really messed up yesterday? Yes? Good then. I wasn't the only one. And I finally figured out how to use this font stuff! Sorry folks, but I've never used Notepad before to type stuff. Expect longer chapters as a result! Again, thanks to all who actually took the time to R/R my story!   
  
Special thanks to Kelly, cuz she's the only one who reviewed and e-mailed me about my first chapter in the beginning and it's what kept me going! Oh yeah, I'm going to be writing fic over at The Labyrinth (Under Movies for you guys that don't know it) so if you like my stuff here, R/R over there too!   
  
One final note. I've noticed that a lot of you guys think this is a Matrix crossover. I'd love to keep you guessing, but i just want to say now that just because I say, "The One" once or twice, don't go thinking Neo and Trinity are popping up anytime soon. Once again, I don't own Harry Potter (I DO own the Gorenth thing though). Okay now, where did I leave off last time......  
  
  
Chapter Six  
Merlin's Legacy  
  
  
Dumbledore had to be joking....but one look into his eyes and Harry's was convinced he was serious. "But, Professor..." he protested weakly. "I don't understand. How?" Dumbledore sighed. "I suppose you've always wondered about your scar...." Harry nodded quickly, unconsciously rubbing his forehead. "Remember when you were transported to Voldemort, and you forced his wand to spew out all of his recent curses backwards? Didn't you ever wonder why your father came before your mother, if, for all these years, it was believed that your father died first?" Harry nodded vigorously, though he flinched internally at the quick reference to the day he had been transported by means of a Port Key to Voldemort, and had witnessed, and caused, Cedric's death. He still felt that, had he done something different, Cedric might have lived.   
  
Harry pushed that nagging bit of self-doubt away and concentrated, intead, on the startling mention of his parents. "What about them?!" asked Harry. Maybe, after all these years, he was going to finally get a straight answer about the night his parents had been murdered.   
  
"Harry, your father also managed to survive the Avada Kedavra Curse." Harry's eyes widened. His father had survived an unforgivable curse? "It weakened him so that he couldn't walk, or even stand. In fact, all he could do was watch as Voldemort killed your mother. Voldemort never took a second glance at him, believing fully that he had died. It gave him a chance to recuperste somewhat. However, when Voldemort turned to finish you off as well, something in him snapped. James had always carried a recessive trait of Merlin's, and, in that moment of great fear, hatred, and grief, he managed to do something unbelievable. He..."   
  
Dumbledore stopped as Harry's eyes suddenly glazed over. "Harry? Harry?!" Dumbledore called. Seeing Harry do nothing in response, not even blink, he quickly called Madame Pomfrey to his side, but Harry seemed to be in a trance. Despite their urgings and spells, he remained sitting, staring sightlessly into the wall just to the right of Dumbledore's ear. "What can this be? I must consult some books and treat him as best I can!" Madame Pomfrey cried as she hurried out of the room. Dumbledore touched Harry's shoulder in an effort to push him back against the pillows of his bed. "The poor boy! He needs some rest..." he was thinkning when he was suddenly jolted by an unfamiliar presense.  
  
Dumbledore started and looked around. Madame Pomfrey was still busy flipping through her ancient books. There was no one else. He closed his eyes and concentrated. It was an old trick he had picked up long ago, and it had warned him of approaching dark wizards in his days as an auror.   
  
It only took a few seconds. A look of disbelief distorted his face as his eyes fell open and his hands flew to his heart. "Merlin?" he whispered.  
  
Harry didn't know what had happened. A moment ago, he had been on the verge of learning the truth hidden from him all his life. He had felt anticipation, fear.... and he had blinked to find himself, instead of the hospital ward of Hogwarts, in a torch lit room of a great castle. Harry blinked again, but he remained in the mysterious, new room. Maybe Voldemort had whisked him away.... but right under Dumbledore's nose? That was a little too daring, even for a newly revived, Harry-hating Voldemort. Wait a second... Harry took another look, and it confirmed his sneaking suspicions. It seemed he had never left Hogwarts at all.  
  
He didn't know how he had recognized the room as the hospital ward. But all his instincts screamed that it was. He touched the wall, and yelled as his hand passed right through. "Harry..." a voice, harshened by great age, called to him from a darkened corner of the room. He twirled around.  
  
"Who's there?" Harry cried. The voice didn't answer. Never one to back away from adventure, he crept cautiously toward the corner. His steps become longer, and soon he was running toward it. What was happening? Instead of reaching it as he had anticipated, the wall always seemed to be a set distance away. His feet raced, and Harry felt the stone beneath his feet as he ran faster and faster. But each step brought him no closer to the voice. it was as if he were standing still, rather than gasping for breath and wearing his heart out. A dry chuckle alerted him to the other man's presense.   
  
"Who are you?" panted Harry as he finally stopped to regain his breathe. The voice, again, seemed to come from the dark corner, but refused to answer a second time. Wait! This seemed familiar somehow... Harry realized what it was. The first part of the Gorenth Test had been like this, only it had been Dumbledore's voice that had called out to him. Harry did a quick about-face, and raced in the opposite direction. As he had anticipated, the corner came into view, and Harry collapsed near a bed that had been hidden there all along.   
  
"So....you're not as brainless as it would first appear..." croaked the voice with amusement. Harry turned toward the sound and found, at last, the owner. A small old man with a long white beard and a tiny pair of glasses lay swamped in covers in the bed. Harry jumped. "Why does it take so long for me to see things in this place?" he thought to himself in resentment.   
  
"I suppose an introduction of some sorts should be made," said the man. "I am Merlin, and you, my young friend, happen to be my last descendent. I have much to disclose to you, but, at present, I am afraid I must return you to your time. One bit of advice though," he paused, "keep your wits about you. Things are about to get very interesting, very fast. Remember what you have learned here." With a flourish, Merlin waved his hand in Harry's face. Blinking, Harry found himself sitting, once more, in the hosptial bed, with Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey staring worriedly at him.  
  
"Harry!" cried Madame Pomfrey. "I was about to douse you in hazel oil!" Dumbledore sat back, a pleased, triumphant expression on his face. "I believe you want an explanation...." Harry, dazed, could only nod. "This was all foretold. The Order of the Phoenix has much to teach you."   
  
  
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Wormtail, Voldemort's loyal servant, crept softly into the chamber where the master himself slept. Voldemort had developed a sudden fascination with naps, though Wormtail couldn't think of a single reason why. Perhaps the strain of finally being brought fully to life was beginning to tire him? After all, he had lingered, bodiless, for more than a dozen years.   
  
Shrugging, he balanced the tray of food in one hand as he tapped, cautiously, Voldemort's shoulder. "Aaargh!" shouted Voldemort as his blood red eyes lept open. Wormtail jumped in fright, and the tray ended up overturned and splattered on the floor. Grabbing his wand, Voldemort shouted, "Crucio!" and Wormtail, bewildered and frightened, fell to the floor in helpless pain. "Never, ever, disturb my sleep again." said Voldemort quietly. He waited a few more seconds before lifting the curse. "Never again!" sobbed Wormtail. Voldemort grinned. "You have learned your lesson then." It was a wonderful pick-me-up after the horrors he had seen in his dreams.   
  
Voldemort his strength increasing, had, one day, become aware of a watchful eye. He had gone insane with paranoia, doubling, then quadrupling security. And still, that eye, that feeling of being watched, persisted. He had absently rubbed the scar that the Potter boy had given him, as a mere babe, all those years ago. The mark upon his chest was a matter of great secrecy. If word ever got out that he had scarred Potter, and Potter, in turn, had scarred him..... Not even the death of a thousand wizards and witches would satisfy his hurt pride. He had sat, thinking of the best way to revenge himself upon Dumbledore and Potter when he had unexpectedly fallen asleep. And what a dream he had had! He had seen a boy with dark hair and brilliant green eyes bent over...what did those muggles call it? A frying pan. A fat man, an even fatter boy, and a comically skinny woman stood by him, yelling and provoking him. Voldemort felt Harry's anger increase as he mindlessly flipped the bacon. As he stirred, Voldemort gaped in surprise as the bacon turned into black, squirming creatures, wallowing in the oil and bacon fat. Harry, however, was too wrapped up in whatever it was he was thinking and noticed nothing. He sighed and Voldemort saw the black creatures disappear as Harry repressed his anger.   
  
The dream abruptly ended and Voldemort awoke with the knowledge that he and Harry were indeed bonded. Harry, in his dreams, must have been the watcher that had stalked Voldemort's existence. But, unlike Harry, Voldemort remembered his dreams with a crystal clarity.   
  
What convinced Voldemort of the dream's validity was that he had recognized the creatures Harry had summoned. They were death eaters, creatures Voldemort, in awe of their power, had named his followers after. The scene played out in his dream had confused Voldemort for hours. The summoning of death eaters, REAL death eaters, was very powerful dark magic, magic even Voldemort himself couldn't just call up whenever he felt like it. Death eaters represented the utmost suffering and could, if released, drives muggles and wizards alike insane til they eventually died.   
  
It was then, that Voldemort decided that Dumbledore was to be forgotten, even his quest for power. What he concentrated on now was eliminating the threat Potter posed. "And he's but a child!" Voldemort thought to himself, as, in his now regular dreams, Potter displayed all the symptoms of being the long-awaited Phoenix.   
  
"He's but a child....." Voldemort had repeated to himself, as he suddenly gave an evil cackle. Perhaps, Harry wasn't as set in his good ways as he had previously believed. Perhaps, he could be turned... into the legendary Dark Phoenix.   
  
Voldemort, now filled with a sense of purpose, had set to work. The night the Potter boy had turned fifteen, Voldemort had used up all the power he had been accumulating and preserving in his being to summon the Dark Hail, a storm that would keep Harry away from Dumbledore's protective care. He had then rested, believing the boy safely isolated in that charmed home of his. Once his strength was back, he was going to storm the house with another set of powerful curses, grab the boy....but he had dreamed, and in this dream, he had seen Potter rush out, deflecting the magical hail as he did so. Voldemort had awoken with a scream of fury. It had seemed, at the time, that Potter was going to be tougher to get to then he had originally planned.   
  
And daily, the child's power grew. Voldemort remembered how the barest flicker of emotion could now translate itself telepathically to Harry. Voldemort could only see Harry in his moments of extreme angst, but Harry! Harry could now see through his eyes during the briefest bites of unconsciousness, though he still couldn't remember what it was he had seen. Voldemort shuddered as he remembered how his most trustworthy, highly placed spy had told him of Harry's supposedly unintelligible mumblings. Dumbledore had been out of the room when Harry, still asleep after his brief sojourn into the Gorenth Test, had stated, under his breath, that the Ministry had been attacked by Voldemort. But that was impossible! Voldemort had briefly toyed with the idea in his head, and had then angrily dismissed it as impossible (...at least for now.) This could only mean that Harry had read his mind, and that, in itself, was reason enough to kill him quickly before anything else developed.   
  
But still, the idea of a subdued Harry under his control was something that delighted Voldemort. The perfect way to revenge himself upon Dumbledore, the man he had feared (and still feared!) as a schoolboy at Hogwarts, was to turn his precious little prodigy into his own, willing slave. No matter that Harry might be the Phoenix. He was Voldemort! And only the foolish stood in his way.   
  
Voldemort smiled at the memory of his ealier over-estimation of Harry. The Dark Hail had been a mistake, and he had a new plan now. If Dumbledore did what he thought he'd do, and continued to train the boy, then Potter was as good as his....   
  
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A/N (2): Hope you guys liked it! I did this in response to the reviews I got. I crammed it with as much info as possible, except perhaps the details of the Gorenth. But that's coming up! (hint hint). Don't expect much more anytime soon.... I have a project due in a few days, as well as a test and another test and another test coming up this week. knayram silently screams. Wish me luck!  
  
  
  



	5. Betrayal

A/N: Sorry that took so long, but, for some reason, my teachers have gone crazy and assigned lots of HW and tests! Aaaaaahhhh...... Anywaz! Sorry if you find this short, but I only have an hour to type this, and I have a history test tomorrow. Thanks for reading and please review!  
  
Chapter Seven  
Betrayal  
  
  
Harry spent the next few days in a state of shock. He, Harry Potter, a part of an ancient prophecy? Impossible! But something deep down seemed to feel that this all was right. Harry had analyzed this part of himself whenever he felt he had nothing else to do. It seemed an extension of himself, but.....foreign at the same time. How could that be? With a start, Harry realized this feeling of acceptance, of age-old wisdom, had begun with his first meeting with the man who had claimed to be Merlin. Harry, tired of lounging around Madame Pomfrey's spotless office, decided a trip to the library was in order. Maybe he'd be able to dig something up on Merlin and this Order of the Phoenix.  
  
  
Harry hopped out of the clean linen bed that Madame Pomfrey had insisted he stay in, though he felt perfectly fine. "Harry? Where are you going?" demanded Madame Pomfrey. "Just to the library," said Harry calmly. "Just the library, huh?" Madame Pomfrey smirked. Harry felt a pang of regret. Had he developed that strong of a reputation for disobeying rules? Really, each time he had broken some restriction, it had been to save the school, or a life, or something like that. Heroic stuff. "Just the library," said Harry uprighteously. "You shouldn't be up and running about so soon after your....er....episode," Madame Pomfrey hedged. She was referring to Harry's brief "zoning out." "Let him go," rumbled a voice from the door. Both Harry and Madame Pomfrey turned their heads. It was Professor Dumbledore. "I'm sure he must be curious about the turn of events," said Dumbledore kindly with a nod toward Harry. "Thanks!" stammered Harry and, without further ado, rushed out of the room.   
  
  
"Really! Was that necessary?" said Madame Pomfrey. "The boy needs rest, maybe a walk around the gardens..." "Poppy, you know we must keep him indoors, especially with Voldemort around," said Dumbledore seriously. "You should be thankful Harry doesn't feel an urge to visit the Weaselys, or go for a walk in the Forbidden Forest! He's best protected within the castle walls. After all, it is the place where Merlin drew his last breathe..." Madame Pomfrey gasped. "Here? In this castle? How extraordinary." She mumbled to herself. "I still think he needs a walk around the grounds" she said stoicly before quickly leaving the room, and Dumbledore gazed thoughtfully after her before going off to search for Harry.  
  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
Harry was ecstatic. He had previously been sifting through a few harmless books that had told him absolutely nothing when Dumbledore had arrived and allowed him access to a few books in the forbidden section. "Really?" Harry had gasped. "You need to know more about your past and future," Dumbledore had stated. Harry couldn't have agreed more.   
  
  
Harry had gathered up quite a pile of usually restricted books when Dumbledore motioned for him to stop. Harry eagerly sat down and opened a particularly ghastly looking book. The book was bound in worn, cracking leather, and a strange symbol that seemed oddly familiar glowed an unearthly blue. "What's this?" Harry asked, his fingers lightly tracing the symbol as he did so. It felt so good, and filled him with a sense of peace...with a jolt, Harry's eyes turned inward and his body slumped. "Harry?" Dumbledore gently nudged Harry before taking a good look into his face. With relief, Dumbledore noted that Harry's pulse was strong, though he was unusually pale. "How strange," Dumbledore thought to himself. "It's happening quicker than foretold."   
  
  
Harry found himself, again, in a strangely familiar room, lighted by an odd torch or two. Rubbing his eyes, Harry was surprised that his glasses didn't get int he way. Harry catiously touched his own hand and felt it pass through. "Am I a ghost?" he mumbled out loud. "No Harry, you're very much alive," laughed Merlin. Harry looked up and wasn't surprised to see the old man again. "Merlin, right?" said Harry. "Correct, and you are Harry Potter. Now that we are, again, acquanted, take a seat," he motioned toward an elaborate wooden chair. Taking a seat ("Good, I didn't fall through, that would be embarrassing!" thought Harry), "How did I get here? One moment I was touching that strange symbol, the next, I'm here! Where is here anyway?" "So many questions, so little time," Merlin shook his head. "Harry, the danger is lurking closer than ever before. You must be prepared. The evil strikes soon. I'm about to teach you much in a short span of time. However," Merlin motioned about him, "time here is not the same as time in the real world, the world you live in. A mere minute here is an hour in your time. Therefore, I'll have to resort to quicker means."   
  
  
With his head bent, Merlin muttered a shaky incantation, and Harry caught but a few words of it, spoken in a language he couldn't understand. With a sudden shout, Merlin's gaze met Harry's startled eyes and a connection was formed of silvery blue light between their two gazes. Harry, frightened, could not turn his head, or even blink. "What's happening?!" he cried as knowledge suddenly came into his mind. Charms, curses... it all lept into his brain, but he understood none of it. After a few minutes of this, both Merlin and Harry slumped. As Harry felt himself spiral toward unconsciousness, he heard Merlin whisper, "You now have the knowledge, and it will reveal itself in time."   
  
  
Harry opened his eyes to find himself again with Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey. "Professor! I need to talk to you!" Harry's voice sounded hoarse to his own ears. His temples pounded from a montrous headache. Even an especially bad dream about Voldemort had never resulted in this sort of pain.   
  
  
Madame Pomfrey leaned forward, eyes bright. "Well, speak up! What happened to you?"   
Harry looked at her curiously. Madame Pomfrey had never displayed such interest before. "Poppy, please wait outside," said Dumbledore softly. Something flickered in her eyes. Harry thought, "Could it be anger?" But it was gone so fast, Harry could have forgotten what he had seen in seconds. However, he didn't... couldn't. That odd part of himself that had awakened only days ago told him this was important.   
  
  
Once Madame Pomfrey had left, Harry began to ramble out what had happened. "....and then he started mumbling some charm of sorts. At first, I thought he was transferring some knowledge to me, because I felt all these spells I've never even heard of come to my lips. But it all faded quickly and I couldn't remember a thing. What does it mean?" Dumbledore thought hard to himself. "I believe," he stated, "it's time for you to actually get some research done."  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
  
Madame Pomfrey, once expelled from the room, quickly ran to the kitchen, now devoid of those helpful house elves. Poppy sighed to herself. It had been Dumbledore's idea to send the elves to a summer home, insisting he and the few other teachers staying in the castle over the summer could cook their own meals. If she had her own way, this place would be teaming with house elves, at all times of the year. "Dumbledore's a fool," she thought to herself spitefully.  
  
  
Poppy quickly reached for a bag of magical dust she kept hidden on her upper arm under her robes at all times. "If Dumbledore ever found it"....she shuddered. "But he won't" she corrected herself. Casting a quick peep around, she quickly performed a sealing charm to keep unsuspecting teachers away while she dashed a small pinch of the dust into the kitchen fire. She was relieved when the green flame flared.   
  
  
"He hasn't abandoned me," she thought, a gust of feeling rushing through her body. A face had appeared in the flames. "What news have you, my sweet?" questioned the man. Though his words were kind, it did nothing to hide the harsh coldness of his voice. "Oh, Lord Voldemort! The time is at hand!" cried Poppy raptuously.   
  
  
  
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A/N (2) Hahahahaha! You guys thought the last chapter was a cliffhanger.... Once again, sorry it was soooooo short. 


	6. The Spy at Hogwarts

A/N: I'm soooo sorry that took so long! Well, on with the story! Oh, yeah. I've noticed other people here spacing almost everything to make the story seem longer. I'm going for it! Ha! That'll end the complaints that my stories are too short.  
  
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Chapter Eight  
The Spy at Hogwarts  
  
"Concentrate, Harry!" cried Dumbledore.  
  
"I'm trying, I'm trying!"  
  
"Trying just isn't enough!"  
  
Harry dropped his wand, utterly drained. What did Dumbledore and the other professors want from him? School hadn't even started yet, and he was already exhausted from Dumbledore's constant testing. He had no idea how well or badly he was doing, as he had no one around him for comparison. He wasn't being graded. All Dumbledore did was scribble furiously into that little notebook of his, recording, but never showing, Harry's personal progress in the magical arts.   
  
"Take a break," said Dumbledore. "But I want to see more as a result in a half-hour!"  
  
The rest of the teachers nodded their assent. Dumbledore had asked all the Hogwarts teachers back for Harry's tutoring. They had all understood the need to protect Harry from Voldemort, and had come willingly. It seemed only Snape had been mad about the new situation.  
  
"Don't expect anything to change between us," he had hissed in Harry's ear once during a Potions review. "I still don't like you, even if I have to protect you!"   
  
Harry grumbled and put away his wand. Dumbledore had made him go over ever single spell and transfiguration he had ever learned in his four years at Hogwarts. It had been nothing but review, review, review with everyone looking over his shoulder and groaning in dissapointment. So what? Did it matter that he had forgotten a few things.....  
  
He picked his way toward the Gryffindor Tower. Once Madame Pomfrey had declared him healthy after an unusually long check-up (She had waved about her wand, chanted under her breathe for ages, before smiling and saying Harry was alright), Harry had thankfully moved his belongings into the Gryffindor Tower. At least, here, he knew he belonged.   
  
Harry wondered about Ron and Hermione, and was ashamed of himself for not thinking of them sooner. Still, they hadn't owled him in ages! He wanted his friends here with him, or at least writing him, but they obviously seemed to be doing fine without him. Harry shook his head in resentment. "I don't need them! I'm better off without them!"  
  
Harry angrily kicked at a wall, causing several of the paintings around him to gaze at him in atonishment. "Of course you don't need them," a voice said. "You need no one. You're more powerful than any mere witch or wizard."   
  
"Who said that?" Harry said, spinning around in surprise.   
  
"I am you," said the voice.   
  
"I don't believe you!" he stated.   
  
"Oh, but you do.... I've been here, in your mind, for ages, and kept my silence. But now, it seems you have need of me. Face it Harry, you've always known you were better than them, they've just kept you down."   
  
"No, no, no," he chanted to himself. It couldn't be true, but still, all this business about the phoenix seemed unrealistic as well...   
  
"Yes, yes, yes!" cried that voice triumphantly, as if sensing Harry's sudden falter of will. "Snape is always toturing you, but what does Dumbledore do? He supports Snape. Snape hates you, but Dumbledore doesn't care. Your own blood despises you. Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, Dudley... Your friends, you family, have all abandoned you....abandoned you..."   
  
"Noo!" screamed Harry, covering his ears.   
  
"Your parents hated you! They were disgusted when you were born! No one loves you....."  
  
"Harry?"  
  
Harry whirled around blindly, lashing out with his wand. "It's not true!" he screamed incoherently. Now that this mysterious voice had a body, he could curse it, or something.....  
  
He felt someone grab his wand and shake him violently. He opened his eyes and found Professor Snape there. "What's wrong with you?" he seethed. Harry recoiled. Snape? What was he doing here?   
Professor Dumbledore hurried down the corridor. "What's going on?" he called. "Snape! Harry! What happened?"  
  
"Dumbledore! I was just wandering through the halls, trying to avoid this brat," Snape motioned to Harry's shaking form, "when I heard Potter here mumbling to himself before trying to attack me. I mean, I knew he was crazy...." Snape glared maliciously at Harry, "but I never thought he'd be quite so open about it."   
  
"Harry, is this true?" Dumbledore's voice held no emotion. The twinkle in his eye was gone.  
  
"It's true, but I thought...."  
  
"Does it matter what he thinks? He tried to curse me!" said Snape cruelly. He made a threatening motion toward Harry.  
  
"Snape..." Dumbledore placed a restraining arm on Snape's shoulder.   
  
"Harry, come here."   
  
Harry obeyed Dumbledore, still shivering from the strange voice. What did it mean?  
  
Dumbledore took a good look into Harry's eyes, and noted a slight glaze. Harry's gaze faltered, and his shivering doubled. "Snape, take a look at this, it's a sure sign of magical tampering." said Dumbledore quietly. He muttered, "Exposiarus" and waved his wand. Nothing happened. Dumbledore said it again and again, and still, nothing visible happened. Taken aback, Dumbledore said, "Snape, say the spell with me."   
  
This was new for Snape. Dumbledore wasn't strong enough to break it himself? Something was definitely afoot.   
  
Together, the professors shouted, "Exposiarus!"  
  
Harry felt a great weight being lifted from his spirit, and he sighed with relief. A greenish mist rose from his body, and both Snape and Dumbledore gasped at the shape the mist took. It became a half-woman, half-vulture creature, before evaporating into nothingness.   
  
Dumbledore put on a strained smile. "There Harry. All better. Your lessons are cancelled for the day. Go rest, or write your friends." With that, Dumbledore and Snape hurried away.  
  
Harry bemusedly wondered what exactly had happened. Deciding not to dwell on this, he hurried toward the portrait of the Fat Lady and said, "Gugglywuggly" to it. The portrait swung aside and Harry climbed the stairs to the Common Room.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Dumbledore! That was a harpy!*" said Snape as soon as Harry had vanished from sight.   
  
"I know, I know! We were extremely lucky that we caught that in time."  
  
"But how long was the boy exposed to it?"  
  
"I'd say for only a few hours. He would've been a deranged lunatic by now had it been with him any longer. As I said, we were lucky."  
  
"But who?"  
  
"I have some idea. All I can say for sure, at the moment, is that I believe we have a traitor in our fold." said Dumbledore grimly.  
  
"And who knows what ideas that thing put in Harry's head."  
  
(*A/N: A harpy, in greek mythology, is a half-woman, half-bird that drives a person insane by it's constant talking, while invisible, into someone's ear.)   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Harry made it to his bed without incident. He had a pounding headache though, and it kept him awake. "I won't think about a thing," he said to himself. "Just sleep..." Rubbing his scar absently, he closed his eyes for only a second....  
  
"Imbecile! Fool!" shouted a thin, high voice. Harry recognized it immediately. Vodlemort.   
  
Harry quickly took in his surroundings. Nothing gave away Voldemort's location. The windows were blocked off with heavy curtains, and the sparse light in the room revealed only two forms. Voldemort and a cloaked figure.  
  
"But," said the stranger quickly in a feminine voice. "I did all I could!"  
  
Harry tried to gaze into the figure's face, but it was shrouded in shadows. That voice! It sounded so familiar somehow.  
  
"That's enough." Voldemort turned away from the figure. Harry saw his face contort as he visibly tried to surpress his rage.  
  
When Voldemort turned back to the figure, he was smiling a sickly, sweet smile.  
  
"It's quite alright. I just can't stand it when you fail, my love."  
  
Harry was taken aback. Since when did Voldemort care about someone's feelings? Since when did he call ANYONE "my love?"  
  
"Forgive me," the cloaked woman said. " It is my fault the harpies did not do their job. How else do you wish me to deal with the Potter boy?"  
  
"Once I have calmed down enough, you shall see," said Voldemort.  
  
Voldemort took a few, covert looks about. He seemed to look longest at the spot where Harry stood, observing the events. Did Voldemort suspect he was there.....?  
  
Voldemort shook his head a bit, and said, to Harry's shock, "Return to Hogwarts, and await my call."  
  
Harry awoke gasping. "A spy at Hogwarts! A spy....." he repeated to himself over and over. He had to remember this time. This dream was too important to forget. His scar throbbed, but he barely noticed as he threw on his clothes and ran down to Dumbledore's office.  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
"Dumbledore!" gasped Harry as he stumbled into the room where Dumbledore and Snape were quietly talking.  
  
"Harry! What are you doing here?"  
  
"A spy! A spy at Hogwarts!"  
  
"Calm down! Now, tell me exactly what is it you saw...."  
  
"I had this dream, and Voldemort was in it! He yelled at this woman for not doing something. Something to do with harpies. He told the woman to go back to Hogwarts, and something about how he couldn't discuss his plans until he had calmed down..."  
  
Harry ran out of breathe, but he had conveyed his messsage.   
  
"So, Voldemort has found out about the link you and he shares. No matter! Harry, stay here with Snape. I must attend to something."  
  
With that, Dumbledore hurried out of the room.  
  
"So, off gaining Dumbledore's favor and raving for attention again, huh Potter?" said Snape bitterly once Dumbledore was out of the room.   
  
Harry gaped at him in surprise. What had he done this time?   
  
"I had some news, and I thought I'd tell him, that's all!" he said. "Honestly," Harry thought, "Why can't Snape ever give it a break?"  
  
Without warning, he remembered what the voice had said to him earlier.   
  
"Snape is always toturing you, but what does Dumbledore do? He supports Snape. Snape hates you, but Dumbledore doesn't care..."  
  
Harry shook his head. Dumbledore was a man to be trusted! He was the only one who ever believed in him. He had stood up for him in front of Fudge last year, helped him rescue Sirius......  
  
But the harpy's words echoed in his thoughts the rest of the day.  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
"Aaaargh!" roared Voldemort as he awoke. He should've known better than to get angry at that bumbling fool. Now, Potter knew of his informant at Hogwarts, and Dumbledore was definitely suspicious.   
  
"But do they truly know who my spy is? Or are they just guessing?"  
  
Vodlemort cackled to himself. He had found that acquiring spies at Hogwarts easier than expected.  
  
"Dumbledore thinks he's so wise, scouring the castle daily for curses!" gloated Voldemort to himself. "If he only knew! I don't even need to curse anyone there to affect the way they think...."  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Dumbledore was waiting by the gate that lead out of the castle when Poppy rushed through it. "So sorry Dumbledore! I just had to step out and go to Hogsmeade. Harry sure depleted my supplies here! I don't even have enough of those muggle bandages anymore..." Her smile faltered when she saw Dumbledore's serious face. Did he suspect? Did he already know?!  
  
"Poppy, I need to speak to you," he said.   
  
She gulped, and followed him reluctantly into the Forbidden Forest.  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. Turn for the Worse

Chapter Nine  
Turn for the Worse  
  
  
"Professor? Professor? Where are we going?"  
  
Receiving no answer, Poppy continued to trace Dumbledore's steps meekly toward   
the Forbidden Forest. The beauty of the mysterious wood was lost to her, as one   
thought, and one thought only, plagued her mind. "He knows about me and   
Voldemort! He knows!" It echoed continuously in her head.  
  
Walking at a slow and steady pace, the very tallest tower of Hogwarts soon faded   
out of sight in a matter of minutes.   
  
"Here we are." Dumbledore spoke, for the first time since meeting her at the   
gate. They had arrived at a minute clearing surrounded by imposing, ancient   
trees. His words carried no malice or ill will. His voice was dead, and it stung   
Poppy's heart to hear them.   
  
Dumbledore took a quick, covert look around and was satisfied to see not a soul   
in sight. The forest that cloaked them looked dark and foreboding enough to warn   
any nosy person away. "Good," he thought to himself. "No one will disturb us   
here." He grasped his wand firmly in his right hand.  
  
Poppy didn't have a chance to observe and analyze this strange behavior on   
Dumbledore's part, as her head was downcast in despair and regret. "Why, oh why   
did I think I could keep Voldemort a secret for long?" she mused remotely.   
  
"Poppy."  
  
Her head jerked up at the mention of her name. "Now, Dumbledore, if I may speak   
frankly..." she began, eager to state her case, but was cut off by his quiet and   
sinister reply. "There is nothing you can say. You are a spy, and I will treat   
you as such. Crucio!"   
  
Poppy gazed at him in shock. "What? Dumbledore?" she managed to think to herself   
confusedly before falling to the floor and spasming in helpless pain.  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
Harry, now sitting in Snape's dungeon listening to him ramble on, had found it   
easy to put the incident with the harpies behind him once he had rationalized   
that they were nothing but voices.   
  
"What would Ron and Hermione think," he thought, "if they saw me cower with fear   
when invisible things said stuff in my head....what would they think if they   
found out I heard voices at all?"   
  
In truth, Harry had begun wondering if he had actually heard voices at all.   
  
"And that revealing spell could've made a mistake," he reminded himself stoutly.   
  
  
Harry had turned toward the library for an explanation in a very Hermione-ish   
manner and had discovered that harpies, though magical, could not be traced in a   
witch or wizard by common revealing charms. Only an especially powerful wizard   
could do so, and the spell often went awry.  
  
Harry yawned as Snape, once again, demonstrated for him a simple spell he had   
somehow muddled up earlier in the day.   
  
"Harry! Pay attention!"  
  
"Maybe if you put on a grass skirt and hula dance..." thought Harry, but,   
nevertheless, he looked up at Snape. The torches of the dungeon illuminated   
Snape's head so that his perpetually greasy hair shone like Uncle Vernon's   
prized car.   
  
"Now! First you take a hair from....Harry!"  
  
Harry, who had begun daydreaming of muggle cars coated in various shiny paints,   
all while staring at Snape's hair, snapped to attention instantly.   
  
"Sorry," he mumbled. It was infinitely harder ignore Snape when he was the only   
student present.   
  
Snape grumbled something that sounded a lot like "insolent brat" and proceded to   
continue with the lesson.   
  
Harry honestly tried to listen, but a voice that sounded oddly familiar began   
murmuring in his ear. "Harry..." Confused, Harry pondered about the voice for a   
few minutes before the voice began whispering sorrowfully, "I suppose you don't   
remember me, it has been so long since I last held you...."   
  
Harry's eyes snapped open as, suddenly, it became crystal clear to him who the   
voice belonged to.   
  
"Dad?" Harry whispered to himself.   
  
"This is the last time I'm repeating this!" snapped Snape. "What's wrong with   
you, Potter?"  
  
"I, er..." stammered Harry.   
  
A scream sounded faintly from the Forbidden Forest. Harry and Snape   
simultaneously turned toward the window in surprise. The scream began anew, and   
Snape sprang to life.  
  
"Harry! Go get Dumbledore. Tell him I've already gone to investigate." he cried   
and hurried out of the room.  
  
Dumbstruck, Harry turned and, without thought, ran in search of Dumbledore.   
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
Poppy was experiencing excruciating, mind-numbing pain. She twisted in agony,   
all while Dumbledore looked coldly on.   
  
He was, despite himself, fascinated by the myriad of expressions flitting   
through Poppy's face, and kept the spell on her longer than he had intended.  
  
Unable to stop herself, she let out two, blood-curdling screams in quick   
succession. Dumbledore started, and released her from the spell.   
  
Looking down upon her pitiful form, he said in a shrill voice, "Don't ever say a   
word to anyone about this," and turned to go.  
  
"Dumbledore!" she cried, and tried to reach for his robes. Poppy herself was   
surprisd by this action. She honestly didn't know wether she had wanted to   
refrain him from leaving, or kill him.  
  
His eyes remained cooly upon hers as he purposefully stepped away, leaving Poppy   
grasping at nothing. "Poor, weak Poppy," he thought to himself amusedly.  
  
The last of her strength had gone into that desperate grab for his robes.   
Exhausted, and still holding Dumbledore's gaze, Poppy dazedly thought she saw a   
flicker of red transfigure Dumbledore's light blue eyes, but it was gone in an   
instant. She heard a swish of fabric and knew Dumbledore had left.   
  
"Voldemort, where are you?" shw whispered. Then darkness engulfed her, and she   
knew no more.  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
Snape crashed through the wilderness at a dead run. The screaming had stopped,   
but his wand kept him pointed the right direction. He wondered sickly to himself   
if the woman was already dead. Was there still time to save her? Or was he on a   
mission to bring back a body?  
  
It only took him a few minutes to pinpoint a small, crumbled body lying in a   
small clearing. Snape gave an inaudible gasp as he ran toward it, praying   
continuously that, whoever she was, she was alright.   
  
With great trepidation, he turned the still form over, and gazed into the pale   
face of Madame Pomfrey.   
  
"Poppy?!"   
  
The woman shivered slightly, but there was no other sign of life.  
  
Quickly, Snape pulled out his wand and faced the darkness. Not a single creature   
stirred. Satisfied that the attacker had long since fled, Snape muttered a spell   
under his breathe and Madame Pomfrey floated up into the air and began wafting   
toward the castle.  
  
He had only gone a few yards when he met Dumbledore.  
  
"What happened?" cried Dumbledore as he hurried toward Snape.  
  
"Headmaster! You got here fast. I've just found Poppy."  
  
"Poppy? But how did she ever.....oh my." Dumbledore looked at Poppy with wide   
eyes.   
  
He continued, once he had managed to tear his eyes off the floating body, "We   
must know right away who her attacker was. He couldn't have gone far, from what   
Mr. Potter told me. Ennervate!"  
  
Poppy's eyes fluttered open.  
  
"Are you sure this is wise?" queried Snape. "She needs rest!"  
  
Dumbledore looked coldly down at Snape. "We can't risk this happening again. The   
next victim might not be so lucky!"  
  
"Ahhhh!" screamed Poppy.  
  
Both men looked down at her in a mixture of worry and fear.  
  
"What is it, Poppy? What's wrong?"  
  
She remained mute. She stared up at Dumbledore with an expression that neither   
men could determine before resolutely closing her eyes again.  
  
Confused, they proceded with haste toward Hogwarts.  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
"Poppy, dear, you must eat!" Dumbledore coaxed as he tried to spoon feed the   
patient in the bed.  
  
She did nothing but look sullenly up at him with a tightly shut mouth.   
  
"As if I would trust that man again," she thought to herself spitefully. "It's   
probably poisoned anyway."   
  
However, she desperately wanted to be alone so, despite her hatred toward him,   
she managed to bite out the words, "Leave me alone! Please."  
  
Dumbledore shook his head sadly and turned to go. Poppy, since awakening to find   
herself in her own infirmary, had talked to no one and had shown unusual anger.   
  
"I wish I knew what was going on in that head of yours," he mused to himself as   
he closed the door behind him.  
  
Dumbledore would have usually spent more time and energy into discovering the   
reason for Poppy's strange behavior, but he was already on another quest.  
  
"How the devil did Potter find me so quickly, in THERE?" he thought to himself,   
before turning to question the boy himself.  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
Voldemort let loose an especially evil cackle before turning expectantly toward   
his crystal spy orb.  
  
Though Voldemort could not still, despite his rising power, traverse the grounds   
of Hogwarts for fear of Dumbledore, he had managed to build up the courage to   
venture at it's gates and place his orbs about, hidden from Dumbledore's prying   
eyes with various, powerful cloaking spells.   
  
"Yesss....." he hissed to himself. "Everything is going as planned."   
  
Voldemort turned back to the woman who had earlier come to see him about the   
harpies. She was waiting impatiently for him to stop gloating over his own   
handiwork.  
  
"What is it, Minerva?" he said softly.  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
A/N(2): For those of you who are now obviously confused, let me just say that   
NOTHING IS AS IT SEEMS and that all shall soon be revealed in coming chapters.   
Please no flames! Also, is anyone else happy that I've managed to fit all this   
action and suspense before Harry even starts school at Hogwarts?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Previous Chapter ( 6 ) Chapter 1Chapter 2 : An Unexpected   
TwistChapter 3 : Harry's TestChapter 4 : AnswersChapter 5 :   
BetrayalChapter 6 : The Spy at HogwartsChapter 7 : Turn for the   
WorseChapter 8 : Dumbledore's Son Next Chapter ( 8 )   
  
  
  
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	8. Dumbledore's Son

  
  
A/N: Sorry it took so long to get the next chapter in. I know you guys are all   
pretty much confused by now, so this'll be a chapter with answers.   
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Chapter Nine  
  
Dumbledore's Son  
  
  
Dumbledore made his way thoughtfully to his own office. Just as thoughtfully, he   
searched among the books by his desk and pulled the secret lever there. After a   
furtive glance around, he turned the lamp on his desk in two, full circles, and   
watched as the bookcase that filled up an entire wall rotated effortlessly to   
reveal a dark room. A young boy with a head of messy black hair and shiny   
glasses sat morosely in a windowless corner, staring at an old, worn photo in   
his hand.   
  
"Harry."  
  
The boy quickly looked up with a white face and stuttered, "Ho....Ho...How's   
Madame Pomfrey?"  
  
Dumbledore shook his head in confusion. "Harry, how did you know that was Madame   
Pomfrey? In fact, how did you find this room? What's in your hand?"  
  
Harry pushed the photo behind him and said innocently, "Nothing at all."  
  
He amusedly watched as Harry flushed a deep red, before going over the events of   
the past few minutes.  
  
Dumbledore had been leafing through old photo albums he hid, with great secrecy,   
behind his bookcase. He had made this contraption dozens of years ago with the   
aid of the house elves, determined that no magic whatsoever would be used. As   
the castle was regularly dusted for unusual spells and such to prevent the dark   
arts, his secret room, if magically centered, would've definitely been found by   
now by an unknowing wizard. While reminiscing at a particular photo, Dumbledore   
had heard a soft "pop" sound beside him, and Harry, as surprised as anyone,   
began to solidify.   
  
He had been frantic, and had shouted, once he had a mouth, "Someone screaming in   
the woods.....Snape has gone to investigate...my scar hurts....." and   
Dumbledore, without a thought, had rushed toward the woods, apparating once out   
of the gates, leaving Harry quite along with his most private possessions.  
  
It was therefore no surprise to return and find Harry going over his things. "I   
should've taken him from this room..." he lamented to himself. "Well," he   
thought determinedly, "I suppose I have to tell him about my past in more detail   
now."  
  
  
"Curious?" asked Dumbledore as he gently pried the photo away from Harry. With   
wide eyes, he nodded.  
  
"What is it you want to know?"  
  
"Well," said Harry hesitantly, "first of all, how is Madame Pomfrey?"   
  
"Safe. We got to her in time, though we're not sure what exactly it is we   
stopped. She seems perfectly healthy, physically."  
  
"And..." again, Harry blushed, "could you please explain that photo?"  
  
In Dumbledore's hands was a picture of a beautiful woman with raven black hair   
and brilliant green eyes kneeling beside a boy who was unmistakably Snape.  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
"Harry, first of all, what I tell you now is to NEVER be repeated outside this   
office. Understand?" Harry nodded.   
  
"This," said Dumbledore, pointng toward the woman, "was Morgana Snape."   
  
"Was?" asked Harry.  
  
"Was."  
  
"She was a beautiful, kind woman. I fell in love with her instantly and we   
married just days after we met. But, I'm not going into the details of that with   
you." said Dumbledore with a weak grin.  
  
"We were happy. Our first-born child we named Severus."   
  
"What?! Snape is your son?" cried Harry, getting up abruptly.  
  
"Harry, allow me to finish," said Dumbledore sadly.  
  
"We had been married a few years when I was informed by an old friend that I   
should have investigated Morgana's past more thoroughly. I went to Morgana, rash   
as always," here Dumbledore stumbled upon his words as tears clouded his eyes.   
"I accused her of hiding something. I grilled her until she broke down and told   
me everything." Dumbledore covered his face in shame.   
  
"What she told me....it erased all our past and future happiness. You see, she   
was related to Slytherin himself, on her father's side. Before her father died,   
he prophesized that his grandchild would one day become the Dark Lord and kill   
all the goodness of the world. I was horrified. I cast her out of my home and   
life, but I kept Severus. I wanted to keep a strict eye on him, and watch him   
for signs of dark magic. As you can see, I watch him still. However, I trust him   
now. For Morgana remarried. Not another wizard. She was sick of all magic by   
then. No, she married a muggle by the name of Tomas Riddle."  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
Harry gazed at him, uncomprehendlingly.  
  
"Harry, do you understand what I'm saying?"  
  
Harry continued to stare unseeingly at Dumbledore's nose.  
  
"Voldemort's mother was Morgana Snape."  
  
Harry felt his scar begin to throb incessantly.  
  
"Do you know why I'm telling you this?"  
  
He blinked and managed to say softly, "no."  
  
"Harry, you are the Phoenix of Light. It is very likely Voldemort is the Phoenix   
of Darkness. Read this!"  
  
A piece of faded parchment was placed in Harry's hand and he looked   
automatically down at the words.  
  
The Phoenix of Light and Darkness shall battle,  
The fight will cause the Earth to quiver and rattle.  
Behold! The victor who shall prevail will find,  
Total rule over both body and mind.  
  
"It was written by Godric Griffyndor and has been passed, through the ages, down   
through his descendents. I am such a descendent. No modern wizard or witch   
understands this, but I take it to mean that you, the Phoenix of Light, will   
have to face Voldemort, the Phoenix of Darkness."  
  
"No one is positive just who the Phoenixes are, which is why we have all   
dedicated our lives to finding you. you will need to understand the way   
Voldemort thinks, which is why I've told you this story. It will help you know   
where Voldemort is coming from. No doubt, he knows of my affiliation with his   
mother."   
  
"Now, I believe you were able to find me and this room because you are the   
Phoenix. I don't know exactly how you did this, as I never read anywhere of the   
Phoenix's ability to partially mind-read, or find secrets, as you invariably   
did."  
  
"I want you to remember that the next school term begins for everyone next week.   
Don't tell anyone who you are. It's safest that way."  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
Harry went over Dumbledore's story over and over again in his head. Dumbledore   
was once married....Snape was Dumbledore's son......Dumbledore's ex-wife went on   
to become Voldemort's mother.....he would have to face Voldemort and defeat   
him.....  
  
Harry's scar hurt more than ever. He rushed back to his room, away from   
Dumbledore.   
  
"No running!" yelled Snape as Harry tore past him. "Dumbledore's son," he   
thought to himself hysterically, and began to laugh, all while rushing toward   
the Griffyndor tower.  
  
Once inside, he took in a deep breathe, and counted slowly to ten. Hermione had   
once told him to do this when aggitated or stressed. "If that dirty little   
Malfoy tries to get you to fight," she had told him primly last year, "just take   
deep breathes and count slowly to ten. It'll calm you down."  
  
"Hermione! Ron!" he thought to himself. his friends would be here next week,   
probably scared and worried for him. He hadn't written them or spoken to either   
since running away from the Durselys. "And now I can't tell them about this   
whole Phoenix business." he moaned.   
  
his scar continued to throb. Harry looked quickly at a mirror and wasn't   
surprised to find his scar a livid red color. It made him feel uglier than ever.  
  
Filled with self-loathing and pain he whispered to himself, "Just a quick   
doze... until the pain fades...." He closed his eyes, and dreamt.  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"My darling," soathed a familiar voice. "don't be jealous of that fat, ugly   
thing."   
  
"I can't help it," sobbed a cloaked woman.   
  
The man was obviously Voldemort, but who was the woman?  
  
Harry felt himself float toward the woman, determined to see who she was. A   
nagging voice told him that this woman was someone he knew. Someone he knew very   
well.   
  
"You KNOW I'm just using her. I don't love her as I love you!" cried Voldemort.   
  
"You have no idea how long I've waited for you!" cried the woman as she sobbed   
harder.  
  
"That stupid spell you placed over me finally breaks, I remember who you are,   
and I find you consorting with that woman! You need only one spy. It should be   
me!"  
  
"My dear! My love! I didn't want to put you in harm's way! Dumbledore and his   
fools will be busy chasing that other woman. They'll have no idea that is it   
you!"  
  
"I suppose I can't fight your logic," tentavely agreed the woman. "Why don't I   
take off this silly hood?"  
  
"No!" said Voldemort sharply.   
  
Harry, who had been watching in anticipation, sank back in disappointment.  
  
"You never know," he said with a purposeful look about.  
  
"With you by my side, I will once again rule the world! The Potter boy and   
Dumbledore will finally feel my wrath! And they will feel it from those they   
least suspect...."  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
  
Harry felt the dream begin to slip away, though he desparately tried to hold   
onto it. "I didn't see a thing of Voldemort's plan!" he thought frantically. But   
he felt something soothing separate him from Voldemort, and, despite himself, he   
let it happen.  
  
Harry felt another dream take hold. In it, in a surreal, distant way, he saw   
himself tumbling down the steep stairs of Hogwarts. He saw himself, like a   
ragged doll, continue to roll until he hit the bottom. "Nooo!" shouted Harry at   
this vision. He looked up, in rage, at the top of the stairs, and saw Ron and   
Hermione grinning in satisfaction.  
  
  
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When he awoke, he didn't know what to think. Were the two dreams a glimpse into   
both the present and future? Were his best friends destined to be his killers?  
  
  
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Madame Pomfey gripped the covers tightly and pulled herself out of bed. With   
Dumbledore safely gone, she could contact Voldemort!  
  
Reaching for the vial of powder she kept hidden under her robes, she froze in   
horror. The vial was gone.  
  
"Oh, Voldemort!" she cried to herself. "What have I done?"  
  
"Poppy?"  
  
Poppy quickly jumped back into bed. It wouldn't do to have whoever it was see   
her up and about.   
  
"Musn't let Dumbledore see I'm not as weak as he thinks!" she thought.   
  
Looked down at herself as she moved to tidy the covers about her, she gasped in   
horror. Blood, blood, blood.......everywhere! Her own blood.........  
  
She shrieked in pain and disgust before fainting dead away.  
  
  
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A/N: I plan to make this story a bit more gory. Expect higher ratings. I also   
plan to make a separate series, one about Dumbledore's first marriage. I know I   
put that in rather fast. Sorry! Forgive typoes. I'm in a rush.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Previous Chapter ( 7 ) Chapter 1Chapter 2 : An Unexpected   
TwistChapter 3 : Harry's TestChapter 4 : AnswersChapter 5 :   
BetrayalChapter 6 : The Spy at HogwartsChapter 7 : Turn for the   
WorseChapter 8 : Dumbledore's Son   
  
  
  
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Title: Harry Potter and the Legend of the Phoenix  
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	9. Family

  
A/N: I'm so sorry it took this long for a new chapter to be posted up! First of all, I lost all my work on the other disk I had, so that slowed me down considerably. Plus, school's been keeping me way too busy to write. Oh, yes! No one yell about possible mistakes and lack of characters. I don't have the HP books with me (still) and I'm spelling out all the names I DO remember from memory. And I read those books last summer. Oh yeah. Sorry this is short. But lots of new stuff! Okay, I'll stop giving you guys excuses so you can go on and read the next chapter! As always, please review!   
  
  
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Chapter Ten  
Family  
  
  
  
The days rolled by quietly for Harry, and only Harry. The teachers had stopped tutoring him in favor of preparing for the new term and the new, upgraded security system being put into action in light of Voldemort's rebirth. It seemed all of Hogwarts was in a flurry of activity.   
  
Harry got to use the week for much needed relaxation. While the teachers went about frantically re-arranging classrooms and preparing long lists of homework asignments, Harry took long, thought-filled walks about the grounds, though, due to Dumbledore's strong lectures, he never ventured beyond the gates. The fresh air and exercise afforded him a clearer head that he found useful in processing all the information of the past few weeks.   
  
Harry, the day before the students enrolled in Hogwarts were due to arrive, was taking one such walk near the Quiditch fields, thinking of his friends. They still hadn't written him. "Did they want me to write first?" he wondered. He felt no fear for their safety, as Dumbledore had ensured him earlier that they were receiving round-the-clock protection. "After all, Harry," Dumbledore had said, "They're your friends, and Voldemort might try to get to you through them."   
  
"Harry!" cried Madame Lafaydee. He grimaced. Madame Pomfrey, since her attack, had been confined to a bed in the infirmary, though Harry, owing to his frequent visits to the infirmary himself, thought Madame Pomfrey should've at least been walking about now. Madame Lafaydee was her replacement for the time-being, and was a sharp, wizened lady that reminded him uneasily of Aunt Petunia.   
  
"What?" He asked. "Don't stray far from the field! If I catch you within fifty yards of those gates..." He frowned again. The new nurse, both scared and impressed by the near-death episodes Harry had been through, was following Dumbledore's orders down to the letter.   
  
After deciding to ignore her, Harry returned to the thoughts the nurse had so rudely interrupted. "I suppose it isn't too far-fetched that Snape is Dumbledore's son..." he murmured. He still couldn't get over it. What would Ron and Hermione think? Should he tell them? Harry shook his head. He would decide when the time came... when he was actually face to face with his friends. And what about the whole business about being the Phoenix? Dumbledore had been so serious when he had told him not to tell anyone. No! He didn't want to blab that around. Remembering Ron's jealous spell over the Tri-Wizard Tournament only strengthened his resolve. This was probably a million times worse than having his name picked out of the Goblet of Fire.   
  
Happy that he had finally gotten all his thoughts in order, he allowed Madame Lafaydee to lead him back to the castle.  
  
  
  
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Dumbledore stared down at Madame Pomfrey's terrified face. She had been like this for days. She had been found a week before screaming about blood, but a quick glance around by Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape found nothing. For some reason, Dumbledore couldn't enter the room without Madame Pomfey screaming louder than ever and shooting accusing glances in his general direction. But he was ready for some answers, and willing to risk deafness if it meant regaining Poppy's trust.   
  
"Please, Poppy! Just tell me what happened in the forest!" She furiously shook her head "No." Looking up at his concerned face, she couldn't help but wonder how long Dumbledore would act this way til he eventually cracked and showed his *true* personality. And why couldn't anyone else see what she saw? She saw the most frightful things these days, things she had only thought she'd seen in nightmares. Yet no one saw them but her. "They're all in it together!" was the only explanation her feverish mind could come up with. "They're trying to drive me insane..."  
  
Dumbledore turned sadly away. He had to prepare for the new school term. Even if it meant leaving Poppy behind.  
  
  
  
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Harry stared intently through the window in the Gryffindor tower. The boats with the first-years were pulling to shore, and he saw, with amusement, that the first-years were gaping in awe of the castle, and shouting with delight when the giant squid makes its occasional appearance below the oars. "But how can I laugh?" he wondered. "It feels just like yesterday when I came here with the boats myself."  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, he spied a gangly mess of students in black robes rushing into the dining room. Two heads in particular, one a bright, orangey red, and the other, a bushy brown, caught his attention immediately. "Ron! Hermione!" he yelled. The prospect of seeing Ron and Hermione again propelled him quickly down the stairs, through the portrait hole, and out toward the dining room, once again elegantly arrayed for the feast held at the beginning of each year.  
  
Hemione hugged Harry tightly while Ron shook Harry's limp hand energetically. "I missed you!" cried Hermione. "Why didn't you answer our letters?" "Letters?" Harry asked blankly. "Of course, letters! You think we forgot about you? We sent you letters almost daily. But Pig kept bringing them back!" "How did that happen?" said Harry. "Maybe I'll go ask Dumbledore about it..."  
  
"I'm afraid that's my fault," inserted Professor McGonagall smoothly. They all gasped. She had crept quietly behind them as they talked, and none had noticed her till now. "Harry's life was in danger. We have suspended all his mail until we devise a fool-proof way of testing them for curses and hexes." Her voice came out cold and precise.  
  
Hermione, who would've logically been the one to brightly answer, "I should've thought of that!" only frowned. Ron and Harry just nodded in agreement as McGonagall, after staring lengthily at Hermione, turned and left.  
  
"What was that about, Hermione?" asked Harry. "I thought mail checks would be pretty smart." "I don't know, Harry." she replied. "Something's wrong. I just can't place it yet. Maybe I'll go to the library and check up on it."  
  
"It's the first meal of the new term, Hermione! And a banquet at that. Just sit down and eat, and think about the library later. Harry's not going to drop dead anytime soon."  
said Ron with an odd note in his voice.  
  
Both Harry and Hermione stared at him for a second, before turning to their plates.  
  
Harry found it especially easy to eat. In anticipation of upcoming classes with his old friends, he had started eating less and less over the last few days. His hunger came back to him now, especially with Ron and Hermione on either side of him, with Hermione chatting away, and Ron saying a few words every now and then.  
  
He decided to settle on a slightly rarish beef steak. It literally fell apart at the touch of his fork. He wolfed this down so quickly that Draco Malfoy, sitting across the room at the Slytherin table, shouted above the mumble of the crowd, "Must be your last meal, Potter, for you to eat like that."   
  
An immediate hush descended on the crowd, as if seeking an assurance from Harry himself that this was, ideed, NOT his last meal. Clearing his throat, he prepared a come-back, but was forestalled by Professor McGonagall detracting five points from Slytherin. The Slytherins and Gryffindors, under the watchful gaze of the teachers' table, decided that hard glaring was all that was required for the time-being.   
  
Harry, determined that a single shot from Draco wouldn't upset his meal, continued to pile up delicacies upon his plate. He wouldn't want Malfoy to think he had any influence over his thoughts, even if it killed him. The heap upon his plate grew and grew... puddings, honey-basked turkey slices, mashed potatoes and butter, coleslaw, strawberries, pound cake.... until even Hermione broke her steady stream of words to remark, "Harry, think you can really finish all that?" And under the astonished eyes of the Gryffindors and Slytherins, he finished every single bite.   
  
  
  
  
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"Lord Voldemort, what is to be done with the Order of the Phoenix?" asked Lucius Malfoy timidly.   
  
"That group of insolent old hags?" Voldemort barked before laughing in a high-pitched, grotesque manner.   
  
Lucius shuddered, but averted his eyes quickly so that Voldemort would not see the disgust written in his eyes.  
  
"Master, I agree that they are worthless, but they might try something. Something unexpected."   
  
After staring at Lucius with his cold, red eyes, he shrieked, "You do not agree! You follow! Now leave my presence at once!"  
  
Lucius took one look at Voldemort's taunt white face, and did as he was told hastily.  
  
Once he had left, Voldemort contemplated his words.   
  
"He's right," he thought. "They may be stupid, but they do hold a certain amount of power in that petty institution they call a Ministry. "Maybe I'll have to take my chances and raid the building after all." He took another contemplative look at the space where Lucius Malfoy had stood. Malfoy was smart. Maybe a little *too* smart. Slowly, Voldemort weighed his options. Dare he kill off his right-hand man? Would that be too drastic? Voldemort was no fool. But Lucius Malfoy wasn't one, either. Maybe....maybe when he saw a hint too much arrogance and ambition in Malfoy's eyes....then he'd kill him. But for now, he was useful. And he understood that Lucius' son, Draco Malfoy, knew Harry Potter quite well...  
  
  
  
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"What do we do, what?" cried Fudge to the group of solemn, robed witches and wizards assembled in a secret room in the Ministry. "Our Phoenix has arrived...but in such a strange vessel! Harry Potter is crazy...he believes Voldemort is back, and he has even influenced Dumbledore!"   
  
"We must do what we can, but you are a fool if you continue to believe Vodlemort has not risen." came a clear, feminine voice.   
  
It cut through the crowd like a knife. They parted in awe as Dianna DeBourgh walked with calm dignity into the heart of the crowd.  
  
"You! What are you doing back?" demanded Fudge heatedly.  
  
"Fudge, *darling,*" mocked Dianna. "Did you think I'd honor your decision to exile me? Especially with the Phoenix finally among us?"  
  
To most, Dianna might have seemed a harmless, but beautiful, twenty-six year old woman, with a mass of glossy chestnut-brown hair, and deep emerald eyes. Those who had but heard of her would quiver in fear of the immense powers she was rumored to posess. The few that knew her personally would know of the fire and purity that burned in her spirit and the strength of her will.   
  
"I absolutely refuse to not be a part of this. And what I have heard so far," she gazed coldly down at Fudge, who was beginning to sweat profusively, "I do not like."  
  
"It does not concern you! Harry does not concern you!" Fudge blurted out quickly.  
  
"In case you all have forgotten, Harry happens to be my nephew. The fact he is now also the Phoenix complicates things, I'll admit, but I am still his legal guardian, even if you "have" exiled me."  
  
A couple of surprised gasps followed this statement from the few, new members of the Order. However, the majority remained unimpressed. They had known for years.  
  
Dianna continued, her voice cool and soft, "I didn't contest the exile, because I knew, at the time, that Harry was safer without me. But now, times have changed. I have returned to claim my nephew as my heir and pupil, and you cannot stop me."  
  
Now everyone was surprised. "What is she talking about?" Macnair whispered loudly to Fudge. "Oh...er..." stumbled the Minister of Magic.  
  
Dianna smiled. Obviously, these witches and wizards had no clue what she was talking about. But all in due course. They'd know soon enough. at the moment, a bit of mystique seemed to be in order to keep this crowd in her grasp. She prided herself on her ability to assess the emotions of other people, and this was one such time that her rare talent was proving useful.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	10. Denial

A/N: Sorry you guys who received an "update" notice and was surprised to find nothing new. I'm been correcting spelling errors, etc. My typing sucks, what can I say? Sometimes, I type faster than I think. From all the "???" I've been getting in my reviews, let me just ask, "Does anyone now the ending of a story at the beginning?" Everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) ties together in the end. Sorry *Dumbledore's True Love*, I decided to save that title you gave me for a more important chapter :) And "Golden Snitch," I have no clue what your review means. Oh yes, before I forget. Sorry this doesn't sound JK-ish anymore. I know the real HP series would never show any point of view other than Harry's, but I couldn't resist!  
  
  
  
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Chapter 11  
Denial  
  
  
It hit him, like a half-forgotten memory. He felt himself tumble effortlessly down the steps of the Gryffindor Tower. "Not again," he pleaded with the dream. "Please, I don't want to know!" But the dream persisted, soothingly and painlessly taking him through the events again. He head hit the last flight of steps at an odd angle, and a distinct snapping sound echo in the eerie, distant ways dream have of emphasizing points. "Noo! Please..." he thought to himself as, once again, Harry looked up at the top of the steps. And saw Ron and Hermione, with distinctive smiles on their faces.   
  
"No!" Harry cried as, thrashing and turning, he fell out of his bed. He knew he should consciously try to remember this dream, especially since it had left him with a prevailing feeling of uneasiness, but... his friends were the only people left he could really trust. They had gotten through so much *together* that it seemed blasphemous to even try and think of them badly. "This is ridiculous! Ron and Hermione are NOT going to push me down the stairs!" he said to himself out loud, as if convincing himself of that fact. Relieved, he felt the dream fade from his memory once again. He climbed back into bed and fell into a dreamless sleep.   
  
The figure that had watched him from behind the curtains had, at one point, almost rushed to the dreaming Harry, seeing his flailing fists and agonized face. But that thought had quickly evaporated from the intruder's thoughts as Harry fell off the bed and awoke, and had then said the most astounding thing. It was obvious to the intruder what the next step would be. Reinforcements would have to be brought in. "We'll have to keep a closer eye on him." The figure melted back into the shadows.  
  
  
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"Harry, wake up!" The hand shook his shoulder insistently. "What....I'm up already!" said Harry rather nastily as, squinting, he reached for his glasses. Once he had adjusted them, he glared up at Ron, who was already dressed and ready for the day. "Come on, Harry!" he said impatiently. "I haven't been able to use my wand all summer! Let's go! If we're lucky, I get a chance to warm up by hexing Malfoy again..." his eyes gleamed as this pleasing possibily came to mind. They both shared a grin as they remembered the last time they had used magic together. It had been in the train coming home, when they had cursed Malfoy and his gouls.  
  
A shadow passed Harry's face for a second, marring his face. But it passed quicky. "What's wrong, Harry?" said Ron with a show of concern. Harry could tell that he was trying to make up for yesterday's coldness. It reminded him to ask Ron later just why he had acted that way. "Nothing's wrong," said Harry quickly. I think I might have had a nightmare last night, but I just have this *feeling* now." "You know how important your dreams can be!" said Ron. "Maybe you should go to Dumbledore and he'll fish that dream out..." "No!" said Harry abruptly. "I mean..er... I'm entitled to some normal dreams and nightmares every once in a while, aren't I? Besides, I'm in Hogwarts! Voldemort can't get to me here." "I really hope you're right," said Ron dubiously. "Get dressed and let's go eat!"  
  
They met up with Hermione in the Gryffindor common room. They were running a bit behind schedule, but the tower was already quite empty. "Hermione!" both boys gasped in unison. "What?" she said self-consciously. "What did you do to your hair?" asked Ron in amazement. "Well, it couldn't stay frizzy forever, now could it?" she said rather primly. Instead of the masses of brown hair that typified Hermione, she had somehow managed to sleek it down, not much, but it made a difference. "It's so much easier to handle..." she said hesitantly. "Is it okay?" Ron nodded immediately.   
  
"Harry?" she asked quietly. Harry considered for a second, before saying, "Once I'm used to it, I'll love it. But why the change?" It was her turn to stall. "I... er.... felt like a change was in order. After all, we'll be leaving Hogwarts in only two more years, and it would've been rather strange of me to not have changed at all by then." With that, she picked up her books and and pointedly walked through the portrait hole, waiting for them to catch up. "We'll be late if we don't hurry. Everyone else is down there already."   
  
While walking toward to the Great Hall, Harry considered Hermione's words. "Change," he muttered to himself. He had gone through so much over the past five years, and what did he have to show for it? As far as he was concerned, he was essentially the same person that had first come to Hogwarts as an eleven year old boy. Ron and Hermione were the ones changing. All Harry himself had done was go and get taller. Ron and Hermione had done that as well, but something else had happened.   
  
Now, Harry took a good look at his two friends. A *real* look. He noted that Ron's hair had been cut shorter than usual. He had grown broader... more like his older brothers. He was also looking at Hermione differently nowadays. Did he.... No! Harry shook his head thoroughly. He wasn't going to think of Hermione and Ron that way. He wasn't sure exactly why he felt so adamantly about this, but the feeling was there all the same. To prove this to himself, he didn't even consider analyzing Hermione, at least not yet.   
  
"We're here!" said Hermione brightly. The hall was teeming with life. The whole of Hogwarts was here, and Harry noted with astonishment that he was, again, starving. After dinner last night, he had thought himself full for life.   
  
With a shrug, he sat down, as usual, between Ron and Hermione. "Umm, Harry," began Ron hesitantly. "Would you mind if I sat next to Hermione today?" There was such a pleading look in Ron's eyes as he made that simple request, it would've been cruel to refuse. Harry was about to ask why when his earlier reflections about Ron suddenly came back to mind, and he bit it back just in the nick of time. They traded seats quickly. Hermione looked up questioningly at Harry. He could only shrug and move aside.   
There was an akward silence. Harry, feeling rather foolish, and annoyed at the way Ron was acting, was about to joke about the way he was flushing at the moment when Professor Dumbledore stood up at the teachers' table. The room hushed instantly, though some Slytherins made a big point out of continuing their conversations. Harry looked at that particular table in anger, and saw, for the first time, just how many fewer Slytherins there were this year.   
  
"Students!" said Dumbledore with unusual emotion in his voice. "Now that you all have had the chance to rest and refresh yourselves, ("So that's why he didn't give a speech last night!" said Hermione.) I'd like to go over some rules. First of all, no one at all is allowed in the Forbidden Forest. This year, this even applies to the faculty." There was an almost comically surprised look on Hagrid's face, who was sitting at the teachers' table as well, but Hagrid respected Dumbledore too much to interrupt his speech. "Also, there will be no trips to Hogsmeade." Now, a storm of protest did well up. The older students looked aghast. The first years had no clue what the fuss was about.   
  
Dumbledore, unperturbed, continued. "Voldemort, a new, fully revived Voldemort, is now a very real threat." A sixth-year student at the Ravenclaw table said a bit too loudly to her friend, "I hear this whole business about You-Know-Who is a hoax." Professor Gonagall cried out, "Ten points from Ravenclaw!" and the girl cringed back. "I assure you all that Voldemort is back!" said Dumbledore with a strength in his voice that everyone heard clearly. "Cedric Digory did not die in vain!" There was silence in the room, as even the Slytherins paused momentarily before resuming their talking.   
  
"Why doesn't Snape do anything about those creeps?" mouthed Harry to Ron. "Snape's probably a spy for Voldemort and doesn't care," said Ron bitterly. Harry decided that now wasn't the best time to tell him that Snape was Dumbledore's son.   
  
"I want you all to know that you are safe from Voldemort and his dark magic. We have drastically upgraded our security system here at the castle. There will be teachers patrolling the halls afterschool, and a weekly dusting of the school for magical tampering. Not to worry," said Dumbledore with a quick look in Harry's direction. "There will never be a dementor on these grounds. The Minister has no power here." With that, Dumbledore sat down, and a buzz of excited chatter quickly ensued.  
  
"Why did Dumbledore just say that Fudge can't do anything?" thought Hermione out loud. "Of course he can. Fudge can dismiss Dumbledore if he had enough people behind him." "Maybe Fudge and Dumbledore made a deal," said Harry without thinking. "That's it! But what would Fudge have that Dumbledore wants?" pondered Hermione. "Dumbledore always seemed to be one step ahead of Fudge in the past." Harry felt a chill go up his spine. But it passed, and Harry soon forgot all about it.   
  
Harry and Hermione were waiting for Ron to finish his cereal when Professor Snape appeared. He was wearing his usual "I hate Harry" snarl and Harry unconsciously balled up his fists and stood up. Hermione rose up beside him and placed a warning hand on Harry's arm. "Harry, Professor McGonagall wants to see you," he said curtly. "Better tell your girlfriend she can stop holding you back now." With that, he twirled around and made his way hastily to the Slytherin table.   
  
Harry sighed with relief. No battle of wills today. He saw that Hermione still had her hand on his forearm. He arched an eyebrow at her and motioned to it. Hermione started and let go quickly. Behind them, Ron choked.   
  
  
  
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"Professor?" Harry asked, before entering the office. "Harry!" she said with a taunt face. "Please, sit down." Harry complied. She began, "Professor Dumbledore said that I should remind you that you're not to discuss the tutoring you've been going through over the past week or two. He wants you to mingle with the other students and not discuss any new spells you might have learned. You are not to tell anyone that you might be the Phoenix." Harry stared at her. Dumbledore had told McGonagall that he was the Phoenix? Dumbledore had sounded so urgent when he had implied that this knowledge was on a need-to-know basis. Still, Professor McGonagall was the head of Gryffindor, and the more Harry thought about it, the more he reasoned that she had all the right in the world to know.  
  
"I'll do that," he said. "You see," she rushed, "most people have heard the legend. We wouldn't want this to get around." She seemed to be done, so he prepared to leave. "Harry." He turned around, expectant. There was a pause before she said softly, "Not even Ron and Hermione. Don't tell them anything crucial. Too much is at stake, and your friends might..." She rolled her eyes helplessly, trying to avoid saying something. "What?" "Your friends might be kidnapped and tortured. People tend to break down under the Cruciatus Curse. I *hear* that a certain deatheater is very adapt at making Veratasium." Harry considered her words. What was going on? McGonagall was looking at him pleadingly, as if trying to convey some message. "Not to worry, Harry," she continued in a barely audible voice. "Rumors can prove false." He looked into her eyes for a while, before she broke the gaze and turned around purposefully, motioning to him with a hand to leave. He did as he was told.   
  
  
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Dianna smiled to herself, as she waved her hand over the mirror, turning it into a portal. After the initial shock of seeing her, Fudge had tried to convince the guards into arresting her and sending her back into exile. Fools! Just because she had been easy to subdue once before, fifteen years ago, the guards had advanced with cocky sureness. With a wave of a finger, she had sent the four burly wizards into the air and had glued their wands to the ceiling. She had then sent a warning look at Fudge, and left the building on her own.  
  
The portal before her began to shift, as a figure began to sharpen. Dianna gazed with hungry fascination at the sight of a fifteen year old boy in black robes talk animatedly to someone off to the side. She saw, with delight, that the boy had Lily's green eyes and James' wild black hair. Such a beautiful child.   
  
She took one last look at her nephew before waving her hand over the mirror once more, bringing another face to the smooth surface. The woman in the mirror looked about, as if sensing Dianna. She then looked straight into Dianna's eyes and smiled. "How is he?" Dianna said quietly. "As well as can be expected my dear," replied the woman. "I'm concerned. He's denying dreams being sent to him. I'm sure they're like Lily's...glimpses into the future....I need you here to help." I'll do what I can," Dianna promised. The woman looked around quickly. "Someone's coming," said the woman quickly. Dianna quickly destroyed the portal, and the image evaporated.   
  
"See anything you like?" Dianna turned around. A young sales clerk with sandy brown hair gave her a winning smile. "No," she said curtly and walked out of the appliance store. Her business there was done. There was no longer a reason to stay in the muggle store, even if she *was* avoiding Ministry workers. She knew what Fudge was doing at that very moment. She didn't need to spy on him to have some sort of clue. He was probably out there, wasting Ministry resources trying to find her... She shuddered and once again took to the streets.  
  
  
  
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"I WANT HER FOUND!" shouted Fudge to the thirty assembled Ministry workers. Arthur Weasely grimaced at the hoarseness of the Minister's voice. With his bulging, red-shot eyes, and pale, unshaven face, the Minister was a mess. He did not exude the calm, commanding charisma that leaders needed, and Arthur found it hard to respect him.   
  
"Excuse me, Sir," said a young, naive official. "Why are we so concerned over this," he paused to flip through his notes, "Dianna DeBourgh?" "Obviously new," thought Arthur. Either new, or incredibly stupid. "It is not your place to question!" said Fudge haughtily. "For your information, she is an extremely dangerous person, a menace to the wizarding world!" "But," persisted the young man, "it says here that her only offense toward the Ministry was being found snooping through some files! We have nothing to hide, so why all the fuss?" Arthur counted mentally to ten and, right on cue, Fudge exploded. His face, a dull red, wreathed itself into an ugly frown as he shouted, "Shut up! I am privy to more knowledge than you! You do not know half the things I know of this DeBourgh character. She's crazy! A real mental case." The guy wasn't a weakling, but he wasn't dumb either. He didn't cower, but he wisely decided to keep quiet. Lucius Malfoy, who had also been called, snickered loudly. The new Ministry worker decided not to mention that Dianna DeBourgh had only been eleven years old when found in the Records Room.   
  
  
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Voldemort was worried. Dumbledore wasn't doing a thing right. That is to say, he wasn't following the actions Voldemort himself had expected of him. He cursed loudly. Harry was going to be harder to affect than expected. With his primary spy at Hogwarts busy trying to avoid suspicion, and his second locked away in an infirmary and reportedly insane, Voldemort was in a rage. He had no idea what was going on at the school, and Malfoy was being less than ideally cooperative.   
  
"Malfoy! Where is he?" screamed Voldemort. "Ex..excuse me, master," whimpered Wormtail, "but Lucius Malfoy is at the Ministry." "What is he doing there? Why is he not by my side?" raved Voldemort. Wormtail shivered, and asked himself, for the hundredth time, just *why* he had preferred being in Voldemort's service to death at the hands of Sirius Black and Lupin. He reasoned that death at the hands of his former friends would have been less painful than any death inflicted by Voldemort. "Master, Minister Fudge had ordered almost all his workers to report to him. They are off chasing some criminal." "Leave me," roared Voldemort. Wormtail scampered away gladly.  
  
Voldemort considered the new situation. With Harry and his friends safely tucked in Hogwarts, there was nothing, at the moment, Voldemort could think of doing to them. Lucius had proved to be unexpectantly protective of his son. "I don't want Draco involved!" he had said respectfully, but with iron certainty behind his words. It didn't matter. Let Draco continue to be a petty annoyance in Potter's life.   
  
If only he could kill off those relatives of Harry's! That aunt and uncle that he had seen so many times in his dreams. They were probably the ones Dumbledore had charmed to protect Harry. Blood ties did make protective charms stronger.   
  
He absently rubbed the scar tissue on his chest. It brought back memories. Memories he used to fuel his hatred of the last Potter. He smiled as he recalled the joy of striking down James and Lily Potter. The bliss! But the babe... that Harry had ruined everything.  
  
Voldemort felt an ache start in the scar on his chest. Moaning, he rubbed his scar, trying to soothe the pain away. "What..." he cried out as the pain intensified. It had never been so bad before. But why? Eyes clenched, he shouted and swore and cursed the day Harry had marked him in this way. A meddlesome clock somewhere chimed the hour. Nine o' clock.   
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
Harry listened absently as Professor Sprout began the very first lesson of the very first day. He had been thinking of his parents; of the image he now had of them from his brief encounter with them after Cedric's death. Love and grief clouded his mind painfully as he recalled the way his mum and dad had protected him from Voldemort.   
  
He accidentally caught Hermione's eye during Sprout's lecture and felt a funny, tingling feeling in his chest. A clock chimed. It was nine.  
  
  
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Dianna saw a group of men walk toward her, with wands gripped in their hands, barely noticeable under their dark trench coats. They pushed rudely through the muggle crowd, obstinately and crudely progressing closer. She recognized them as an elite assassination squad. And there was no question about it. They had spotted her.   
  
She turned quickly into a dark alleyway. If a fight broke out, she didn't want to be the cause of innocent muggle deaths. Finding a corner made by two, close-knitted buildings and laced with spider webs, she made a sudden, well-coordinated twist of her body and drove herself into the darkness of the crevice. In this moment of uncetainty, she closed her eyes, and focused her thoughts on her sister, Lily, and brother-in-law, James. most of all she thought of Harry, the nephew she had never met. A great gush of love prevaded her body and she wallowed in it, finding strength. She opened her eyes and gazed up. She could see Big Ben. "When the clock hits 9:01," she thought to herself, "I'll attack. No matter what. I refuse to die that easily!"  
  
  
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	11. Rescue

  
A/N: Hey, everybody! Sorry it took so long to post this...AP tests suck, but what can you do? Well! Now that I'm finally back, Here's the next chapter. I'll TRY not to make any typoes, okay? And to that helpful reviewer who said that quotes were separate paragraphs....I didn't know that, and I'm seventeen. How embarrassing is that? LOL. As always, please R/R!!! I'm kinda depressed. I only got a couple of reviews from the last chapter....  
  
  
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Chapter 12  
Rescue  
  
  
Harry glanced at Hermione again, and there was that same strange feeling. He puzzled over it, and noted, for the first time, how pretty she really was...   
  
Wait a second, what was he thinking!? He violently shook his head. "Snap out of it, Harry!" he admonished himself. "She's your *friend*... "   
  
Sprout's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Harry? You with us?" He looked up guiltily. The professor gave Harry a reproving glance before turning back to her students.   
  
Hermione felt the back of her neck tingle, a sure indication that someone was staring at her. She made a cautious, half turn, and caught Ron. His dream-clouded eyes started, and he blushed and turned away clumsily. Hermione sighed. She knew that Ron's crush would have to come to an end soon, especially if she were to ever tell Harry how she truly felt about him. She thought back to the rivalry between Ron and Harry during the picking of the Tri-Wizard champions and shuddered. "I'll tell Ron soon," she whispered to herself. "Really, I will!" Hermione's stomache felt queasy as she anticipated the coming ordeal. She risked a peep at Harry, who was thoughtfully gazing out the window. She felt better immediately.  
  
Ron felt his cheeks go hot as Hermione unexpectedly swung around to face him. He buried his head quickly in his book to avoid the sudden contact with Hermione's bright eyes. "Fool!" he silently berated himself. "Just stare right back and try to tell her how you feel!" But the moment had passed, and he knew it. He decided it was best to let it go. He snuck another look at her. She was staring at Harry.  
  
Professor Sprout looked at her three brightest students, noted their preoccupied faces, and decided she would probably have to repeat the lesson again the next day.   
  
  
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A sweaty and uncomfortable senior ministry official ran up to meet Minister Fudge to report his findings.   
  
"Mr. Fudge, Sir," he began humbly.   
  
"What?" he bellowed. He nervously tapped his fingers against the polished wood of his desk.   
  
"The assasination squad has been spotted. Would you like us to go after them?"  
  
"No!" he said quickly... guiltily.  
  
"But...but Sir!" stuttered the man. "That group is wanted internationally for murder!"   
  
There was a long pause, and the official knew from the purple, knitted expression on Fudge's face that he was busily making up an excuse. The room became eerily silent, save for the constant tapping of nail against wood.  
  
"Where did you spot them?" he finally managed to say.  
  
"In the muggle part of London, Sir."  
  
"Did they seem....er....preoccupied?"  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Were they, um, tailing anyone?"  
  
"Sir!!!?"  
  
"Would you say they were closing in for a kill?" Fudge finally sputtered, unknowing of how to put it more delicately.  
  
The official took a step back, gaping that a surprised fish. He goggled at the Minister for a second, before replying quietly.  
  
"Well, the leader, that psychic muggle from the United States, he did seem.... er.... *preoccupied.*"  
  
"I see," said the Minister, barely surpressing a grin.  
  
"I want you to wait twenty-four hours before closing in on the squad," said the Minister serenely.   
  
"But, Sir! They're famous for eliminating targets quickly, efficiently! The poor man they're after will probably be dead by then!"  
  
"We'll see about that. After all, who's the Minister of Magic here? Hmm?"  
  
The official backed away slowly, his eyes on the Minister, before turned away abruptly and practically running out of the room.   
  
Fudge looked after the old, wayward official with a grin. Sometimes it payed to have senile, idiots about him.  
  
"What makes you think the target's a man?" he whispered happily after the fleeing figure.  
  
"No one makes me look like a fool. No one."  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*   
  
  
The group of muderous wizards advanced steadily and unerringly toward the dark corner where Dianna hid. She shuddered. Her senses, as they always did in anticipation of a battle, began to sharpen. She noted everything from the small spiders crawling in confusion in her hair (from where they had fallen from the massive cobwebs Dianna had disturbed) to the way the tallest member (obviously the leader) of the assasination squad kept twitching his glance toward her, though he couldn't have possibly seen her, hidden as she was in the depth of the shadows. the others followed him whenever a change in direction was required.  
  
Desperately, Dianna tried to apparate, but realized, a few painful seconds later, that the wizards had already though of that, and had placed a barrier around the entire block.   
  
How did they know? How did they maintain that assured, knowing attitude? It was tiring to place a spell like that around an entire block, and something one didn't do in vain....  
  
"He's a seer!" she realized in a sudden flood of understanding. "He must be the one leading them all. If I were able to disable him... I can't lead him to Harry..." Her thoughts were tangled, unfinished, but she was beginning to form a crude plan. Dianna waited as they neared, her muscles tensing. She gripped her wand closely. Her wand, though an unnecessary accesorry, gave her confidence, and she aimed her wand directly at the seer himself. Just a few steps closer...   
  
"Wait," said the leader, just a few meters away from where Dianna stood. He stepped into a strong beam of light that had filtered through the towering buildings and paused. Dianna almost gasped, but a strong sense of self-preservation halted the reflex immediately. She had expected an ancient master, someone strong enough to sense her magical presence, even though she had done her best to cover her tracks. But this man... he was little older than herself!   
  
"I sense a large body of wizards approaching..." the man's face scrunched up in fierce concentration. "Twenty....no, twenty-three men. Ministry officials."  
  
  
The man's chocolate brown hair fell down toward his eyes. He brushed away the strands impatiently. He was quickly calculating the risks. He and his clan only had two rules. One was to always see a job through, no matter how powerful or wealthy the target. The other rule was to never get *caught.* It didn't matter that they were mere yards away from the woman. He could sense her presense, though shielded by some very impressive spells. What mattered was being alive and free to put the employer's pay to use.   
  
The second rule warred rationally with the first in his mind... and won.  
  
"Fall back! Escape plan three."  
  
Dianna's wand wavered with relief as, to her surprise, the wizards dispersed. What had just happened? She focused her energy, and saw, in her mind's eye, a group of ministry officials running messily toward her. Of course! They feared discovery. A gang of wizards could easily finish off one wizard or witch, but a score of them.... that was tough, even for the highly trained. She concentrated once more and found, to her relief, that the wizards had undone the apparation-blocking spell in order to escape themselves. She apparated away from the ministry officials easily.   
  
  
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"What HAPPENED!?" cried Fudge angrily.  
  
He frowned inwardly. From the reports he had received from other officials, it seemed the "senile idiot" had, in fact, comprehended much more than he had given him credit for.  
  
After leaving Fudge's office, the senior official had consulted, by owl, with the International Committee of Magic. He had been instructed by Head Minister Kake to go after the assasination squad immediately. With the Head Minister's authority and approval, the senior official had discreetly set about to capture the wizards and had, unknowingly, saved Dianna's life.  
  
"Damn! Damn it all to Hell!" he cursed. His informers flinched.   
  
"Sir," began one, "we didn't know what to do. When he brought up Kake, we couldn't refuse..."  
  
"Kake!" growled Fudge. As long as there was a power above him, Fudge knew he would never receive the *respect* he deserved. Dare he redirect the assasination squad toward Head Minister Kake.....?  
  
"Leave me alone! Await my orders."  
  
The men left.  
  
If one wants to understand Fudge, one must understand that Fudge hated all things that were more powerful than himself, or didn't understand. He had reasoned, long ago, to use his own power and lord it over others before they had a chance to use their own against him. This was the reason he hated and feared Dumbledore and Kake. They were both beyond him in power. Though he had before been willing to worship the Phoenix, a magical being he had known little about, the knowledge that the Phoenix was Harry, a boy he didn't understand and intuitively feared, made him willing to change his ways. And Dianna..... he knew so little about her! This made him feel uneasy. The Minister of Magic should know all... that's what *he* believed. Dianna had popped out of no where, with a deep, Ministry-embarrassing secret locked away in her memories.  
  
Fudge was reflecting on all this when the fire of his candle suddenly flickered, and turned a ghastly shade of green. Fudge stared at it in horror, the green light from the candle reflecting off his face, making him look more pathetic and sickly than ever.   
  
"Who...who's there?" he mumbled, afraid.   
  
His own voice echoed back to him. It hit home to him just how alone he was in his cavernous office.   
  
"Fudge... at last we meet," cackled a shrill voice.  
  
Voldemort! He really *was* back....... Fudge heard a dull rattling and realized that the sound was coming from himself. He stop chattering his teeth.  
  
A burst of black smoke seeped from the single, green flame, trumpeted the arrival of Voldemort's actual, physical self. Fudge stared at him. This was no man. This was a monster. Red eyes stared out of a pale, white face amusedly.  
  
"You are right to fear me," Voldemort told the shaking, quivering man. "But, alas, I am not here to harm you. I am here to offer you a chance to stand by my side..."  
  
  
  
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Things just weren't the same anymore. Try as Harry might, Ron and Hermione were acting in a thoroughly bemusing manner. Gone were the days of happy ignorance and fellowship.  
  
"Ron! Hermione!" he yelled as he walked out into the corridor. "We're going to be late for Defense Against the Dark Arts!"   
  
They trailed behind him. Harry sighed in defeat, and ran back toward them. Taking Ron and Hermione by the hand, he dragged them with him to the classroom.  
  
"Don't you guys want to know who the new DADA teacher is?" Harry finally yelled.  
  
This seemed to get through to them. They both perked up and hurried their steps.   
  
"Do you think they're bringing Lupin back?" Ron said excitedly.   
  
"What about Lockheart?" said Hermione quickly.  
  
They filed into the room. Hermione sat near the front, as always. Harry settled down comfortably in the middle row. Ron looked at his two friends, lingered by the door, and finally sat down next to Harry.   
  
A quiet descended upon the room. Everyone looked expectantly at the clock, waiting for class to start and the new DADA teacher to make an appearance.  
  
The clock struck the time, and the door creaked open. Everyone, including the Slytherins that shared the class that period with the Gryffindors, held their breathes...  
  
Professor Dumbledore walked into the room and cleared his throat.  
  
"Hello class," he said pleasantly. "I'll be the new DADA teacher until your permanent teacher is hired."  
  
The noise after this statement was enormous.   
  
Dumbledore held up a hand to silence the room. "When I was a professor here at Hogwarts," he began, "I taught Transfiguration. But I was an auror once, and I'll be relying on those memories to teach you this class. I'll probably be here only for a while, a week at most. We'll find a replacement."   
  
Malfoy snickered somewhere in the back row. In a very audible whisper to Goyle, he said, "Think he even remembers what happened in the good ol' days? Probably can't even remember what he had for breakfast."  
  
Dumbledore looked at Malfoy with surprise. He thought sadly to himself, "We can't afford to lose the Slytherins, but they grow ever more defiant..."  
  
So, instead of punishing him as he should have, Dumbledore gave him an easy smile and replied, "I remember just enough to teach you fifth years," and proceded with the class.  
  
"Today, we will be experimenting with spells. As an auror, I fought many duels. Some I won, some I lost, but I learned from all. Today, I will be giving you a list of completely unfamiliar, but harmless spells. You'll be told how they work and what they do only ONCE, so pay attention! Anyone caught dueling with any other spell will be failed."  
  
The only pleased face in the entire room was Hermione's. The rest of room looked either shocked, nervous, or just plain mad.   
  
"How is this supposed to help us?" said Malfoy angrily.   
  
"This teaches you self-reliance! It teaches you to think on your feet! Now, I want everyone to pair up after I've taught you the spells. I want the winner of each match to challenge a winner from the next group. If you lose, that's all right."  
  
Hardly a sound except the constant droning of Dumbledore's voice was heard in the DADA classroom for the next few minutes. Everyone was listening intently to the list of spells coming from the professor. No one wanted to appear weak during the duel.  
  
"To temporarily stun an opponent, I want you to say *Diatarius.* This will stun your opponent for ten seconds."  
  
Dumbledore demonstrated by transfiguring a piece of chalk into a live rat. After shouting, "Diatarius!" the rat froze for the exact ten seconds.   
  
"To perform a binding spell, I want you all to forget what you've learned before, and use *adheria.*"  
  
Shouting "Adheria!" with his wand pointed at the rat, Dumbledore managed to bind the rat's hind legs neatly.  
  
"To block a simple spell, like the Diatarius or Adheria spells, say *Protecious.* The stronger a wizard you are, the stronger your shield will be."   
  
Dumbledore demonstrated, and the class stared at the vibrant blue shield encircling him. It was a perfect sphere and didn't last long.  
  
"Because it takes so much energy to perform this spell," said Dumbledore, "you must time this spell wisely. It only lasts a few seconds."  
  
"Now, this is the only spell I shall be showing you that cannot be blocked. It's the *Degracia* spell. It causes your opponent to lose his or her balance."  
  
Dumbledore waved his wand and said, "Degracia!" The rat, though it had four legs, began floundering about the table, before making a graceless fall on it's belly.   
  
"I taught you all these new spells because, no matter how badly you pronounce it, it won't turn into some other spell and create trouble. I created these spells to be totally unique. The victor of each duel is the one left standing. Anyone who's head touches the ground loses. Is that understood?"   
  
Everyone nodded.  
  
Dumbledore smiled and said, "Pair up!"  
  
  
"Hey Ron, want to go up against me first?" said Harry.   
  
Ron looked around wildly and joked, "Come on Harry, you need more experience. If you keep dueling me, you'll never get it. Besides, I promised...er...Neville."  
  
Harry shrugged. If Ron wanted to duel Neville instead of him, he'd just catch up with Ron second round.   
  
Harry watched Ron procede to join up with Neville Longbottom who stared at Ron, first in surprise, then in delight, at the prospect of having a partner so soon. Neville was used to being the odd one left out.  
  
After Ron left, there wasn't anyone left who wanted to partner up with him. Hermione had challenged a girl from Slytherin called Laura. Almost everyone was paired up with somebody or other.   
  
"Potter, I'm going to totally anhiliate you!" This came from Draco, obviously. He was most likely hurt that both Crabbe and Goyle had abandoned him.  
  
Harry accepted the challenge (if it was one), mostly because there was nobody left.   
  
"I'm going to enjoy beating you," snarled Draco. "Let's see if Dumbledore can save you from public humiliation!"  
  
"You're nothing but talk, Malfoy" taunted Harry. "We'll see what happens."  
  
  
Ron and Neville were up first. Neville looked nervous. He kept looking pleadingly at Ron, as if silently asking him to go easy on him, but Ron conveniently looked away.   
  
Hermione made her way next to Harry and they watched the duel begin.   
  
"Look at him, Harry," said Hermione. "I don't think Neville remembers any spells!"  
  
This was true. Neville was frantically whispering spells under his breath. Harry and Hermione, as well as anyone else interested enough, saw Neville's lips move, and could tell that the spells he was rehearsing were wrong.   
  
"You may start."  
  
Ron was ready, even if Neville was not.  
  
"Diatarius!"  
  
Neville froze.  
  
"Adherius!"  
  
Nothing happened. Neville regained the use of his limbs, but Ron didn't care. He was still trying the remember the spell.   
  
Neville used his time wisely. Remembering what Ron had said, Neville repeated it to himself over and over again.   
  
"Adherius...Adhera...Adheria!"  
  
A ray of light shot out of Neville's wand and hit a very surprised Ron squarely in the chest. He fell to the floor with a loud thump, his legs bound together.  
  
"Neville is the winner!" said Dumbledore.  
  
With a look at Ron, Dumbledore said clearly, "Never underestimate your opponent."  
  
Ron left the sparring area, still utterly confused.  
  
"Next!"  
  
It was Hermione and Laura's turn.   
  
"Start."  
  
Laura and Hermione both shouted "Adheria" at the same time, but Hermione managed to duck under Laura's spell and avoid it, while Laura stood her ground and received it, full blast.   
  
Everyone held their breathes as Laura balanced herself precariously, even though her legs were now bound. Triumphantly, she managed to keep herself upright.  
  
"Degracia!" yelled Hermione, and sent Laura tumbling to the floor. It was a clear victory for Hermione.  
  
Next up were Crabbe and Goyle. Neither could remember any spells. Crabbe yelled, "Expelliarmus!" and was disqualified.   
  
The duels went on. No one attempted the shield charm except Dean, and his shield was too weak and short-lived to do him much good. He ended up taking a slightly deflected Degracia spell, and went toppling to the floor. No one tried after that.  
  
Overall, the Gryffindors were doing very well, though, as Draco put it, there were "too few Slytherins and too many Gryffindors." It was a wideheld, and possibly true belief that most of the Slytherins had transferred to Durmstrang. "Too bad Draco didn't go," said Ron. "He probably got rejected. Even the bad guys don't like him!"  
  
Dumbledore's voice, now a bit hoarse, cried out, "Next!"  
  
It was Harry and Draco's turn.  
  
"Begin!" said Dumbledore.  
  
  
  
  
  
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	12. Allies and Enemies Closer to Home

A/N: Sorry if I forgot to mention this, but I have no clue how to work the html format, so I can't change the font. Please! Someone e-mail and tell me what to do to get the html. My e-mail is under my profile.  
  
A/N (2): Soo sorry to all those people who waited and waited for an update.... let's just say I have a wonderful excuse. Summer school + hyper dentist + giant Calculus packet for HW= No time for fan-fics. Sorry once again. Hope this extra-long chapter means you'll forgive me...:-) Of course, this just means it'll take longer to get to you all.  
  
As always, remember to R/R!!!!!!!!!!! My reviews have sort of stagnated and it's making me depressed.  
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Chapter 13  
Allies and Enemies Closer to Home  
  
  
Harry and Draco circled eachother, their wands pointed steadily at the other's chest. For a few, terse seconds, the entire room lay gripped in deathly silence, broken only moments later by Draco and Harry yelling spells simultaneously.   
  
"Adheria!" They screamed in unison.  
  
Draco managed to duck, at the last second, under Harry's spell. Harry however, caught the spell at the tip of a finger, from where he had tried to doge sideways to escape it.   
  
The effects were instantaneous. Harry felt his legs come together with a *plop* before his sense of balance left him. "No..." he thought frantically. "I'm going to lose...lose to Draco!"   
  
The eyes of his enemies and friends bore into him, silent and watchful. Harry tottered, and regained his balance. There was a barely noticeable sigh of relief from Hermione and Ron before Harry began swaying once more. Their relief had been premature.  
  
"Ha!" cried Draco. "I beat the famous Harry Potter!"  
  
Harry's mind worked quickly, despite Draco's smugness. Realizing he still had the use of his arms, and that Draco didn't look too keen on preforming the Degracia Spell on him ("Draco wanted to savor his victory," Hermione told him afterwards) he waved his wand, just as he began to tip toward the floor, and shouted, "Protecious!"  
  
Harry shut his eyes and prayed for a miracle. He felt himself tip and tip....until he came to the point where there was nothing left to do but hit the floor... and felt nothing but air. Opening his eyes hesitantly, he saw that his half-baked plan had worked. The shield had acted as a barrier for his body, and he was now resting comfortable against the *shield* and not the floor. In fact, he was floating above the ground, above even Draco.  
  
Draco was panicking now. He moved his lips and waved his wand around, but Harry couldn't hear the spells. Without another thought, he shouted, "Degracia!" with all his strength, and watched gleefully as Draco promptly fell to the floor.   
  
Dumbledore, just as promptly, declared Harry the winner, and Harry disabled the shield with a flick of his wand and rejoined his friends.  
  
Everyone stared at him mutely, some in awe (the Gryffindors) and some in jealousy and hate (Slytherins). Draco was still on the floor, and unable to shoot Harry any stares of any kind. "What?" he said, self-consciously.   
  
The silence broke after that.   
  
"Harry, how did you do that?" asked Ron.  
  
"That's was impossible!" cried Hermione.  
  
"Can you teach me that?!" said Seamus.  
  
"Cheater!" cried Crabbe.  
  
"uhh...yeah...Cheater!" echoed Goyle.  
  
"Memumph......" said Draco, with his face still smothered by the floor.  
  
The list of responses varied. Poor Harry had no clue what was going on. He had done what half the class had already done, that was all. He had beaten his dueling partner.  
  
"Harry, see me after class," said Dumbledore over the noise. "Draco, I want to talk to you later, after Harry."  
  
"But, what did I DO?" Harry finally cried out, exasperated.  
  
"Class dismissed," shouted Dumbledore, and all the students filed out, eager to tell the rest of the school what had just happened. Draco managed to get off the floor with Crabbe and Goyle assisting him and stumbled out with the rest. Ron and Hermione waited by the door.  
  
Dumbledore, glancing at Ron and Hermione, walked up to the door and apologetically ushered them out, closing the door behind him.  
  
"Um, Sir," began Harry. "Did I do something wrong? I thought I was following all the rules!"  
  
"No Harry, you did everything accordingly," soothed Dumbledore. "But, you know what you are. You may experience a bit more...er...*strength* behind your spells and we can't give away that you're the Phoenix. Especially with Voldemort loose. Harry, I'm going to have to ask you to hold back a bit when you're in class."  
  
"Professor! How am I supposed to train if I hold back?"  
  
"We'll arrange some special tutoring for you... maybe this would be the appropriate time to apply to the Ministry for a time turner. No doubt, Hermione has told you a lot about it."  
  
A time turner?! Harry hadn't envied Hermione's. It had just given her extra work.   
  
Seeing the disgust in Harry's eyes, Dumbledore laughed.   
  
"Harry, you have to buckle down and work sometime or other." Then, more soberly, "You have to be safe and prepared. These extra sessions will provide you with both. I'll send for you when the time turner arrives. Oh yes, and Harry, I'm going to have to suspend your powers whenever a spell involving power-guaging capabilities arise."  
  
Dumbledore turned away, and Harry took this to mean it was time to leave. He opened the door and Ron and Hermione tumbled to the floor.   
  
"Er....Hi Harry," said Ron sheepishly.  
  
With a quick look at Dumbledore, Hermione added, "We didn't hear a thing! Honest."  
  
"That would be the silencing charm on the door, I suppose," said Dumbledore gravely, but with a twinkle in his eye.  
  
They trio bid a hasty retreat.  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
Once alone in the hallway, Harry asked, "Really, why were you all staring at me in there, acting as if you all had never seen a duel before?"  
  
"You don't know?" asked Ron, disbelief plainly written on his face.  
  
"Just tell me what happened already!" grumbled Harry.  
  
"Everything was pretty average until that shield charm," said Hermione. "Remember how Dean's barely even showed up, and Dumbledore's lasted for only a few seconds? Well, yours was different. It was gigantic! It lifted you up in the air, that's how powerful it was!"  
  
"I remember being above the ground, but all that other stuff....wow!" said Harry, impressed with himself.  
  
"That's not all," said Ron grimly. "Once Draco saw you, he yelled a bunch of spells. He tried to use that disabling charm we learned from Snape, and the jelly-legs curse, too. They all bounced off. I think one hit Parvati, but I'm not sure. Anyway, you shook everyone up pretty badly."  
  
"I did all that?" said Harry, amazed. "Must've been something in my breakfast..."  
  
"Don't you get it?" said Hermione shrilly. "Dumbledore said a shield generated power *according to the strength of the wizard.* Your shield was... was... phenomenal! Why, I bet you could've held it for hours!"  
  
Ron and Harry gazed at her blankly.  
  
"Ugh! Stupid boys!" cried Hermione in exasperation before stalking off.   
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
  
Harry was walking with Hermione and Ron when he shuddered, as if a wave of some sort passed through him.   
  
"Did you feel that?" he cried.  
  
"What?" said Hermione, who had forgiven them quickly enough after a few minutes of conversation with Neville.  
  
"Er, nothing I suppose," he muttered.  
  
"Wasn't DADA fun?" said Ron. "The look on Draco's face when he finally figured out he had lost! I'm almost glad I lost, because that means I can challenge Draco and hex him again."  
  
Harry tried to shut Ron up. Wasn't this the exact same subject that had gotten Hermione into a rage? To his surprise, Hermione just nodded pleasantly.   
  
"It was a shame only Dean tried the shield, though."  
  
Harry couldn't believe his ears. "What? I *thought* I tried it, too!"  
  
Hermione gave Harry a hard stare. "Come to think of it, I can't really remember what happened during your duel, just that you won..."  
  
Ron had heard enough about school. With a tug at Harry's arm, he asked, "When are the Quidditch tryouts?"  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
Dumbledore strode quietly down the winding passageways. He wondered briefly if it had been wise to erase a certain moment in time from the school's memory, but alas, there had been no other option.   
  
The Headmaster was well aware that one spy remained elusive on the school grounds, but who? The Slytherin house was, of course, under scrutiny. Snape was doing his best to blend in with the Slytherin crowd, a thing he did remarkably well, and earning their trust day by day.   
  
He briefly wondered how much time they had left before Voldemort overcame his fear of Hogwarts and attacked. Dumbledore was aware of his advancing years, he didn't need a cocky Draco to point it out.   
"Harry, discover your center soon!" he prayed. "Before it's too late."  
  
  
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Walking through the hallways and classrooms, Harry was surprised to find that Hermione and Ron were not the only ones to forget his duel. Malfoy was just his usually snobby self, though occasionally he rubbed a bewilderingly sore nose. None of the Gryffindors bugged him over the shield charm, for which he felt grateful. He decided to take this as a good omen as went about his day, trying to forget about it himself.  
  
"Harry Potter?"  
  
He slowed his steps. "Oh no," he thought. Perhaps someone DID still remember.  
  
He turned and gasped in shock. That woman! She looked so.... familiar!  
  
Green eyes stared into equally intense green eyes. The woman said hesitantly, "You ARE Harry Potter, correct?"  
  
Realizing he had been gaping at her like a fish, Harry closed his mouth quickly. "I'm sorry," he apologized, "yes, I am."  
  
"Well ..." the woman hesitated, then said hurriedly, "I thought, seeing a fifth year such as yourself, I'd ask you to pass on the word for me. I wouldn't want you all to get such a shock tomorrow seeing as no one here knows me at all ..."  
  
"What would you like me to pass on?" said Harry curiously.  
  
"Next week, I shall be presented to your DADA class as your new teacher," she said. "I will be sitting in on your classes for the rest of this week to see how things work before I officially take over the job."  
  
That was something Harry had not suspected. He stared for another few seconds, and then remembered in time to say, "I will, Professor ..."  
  
She smiled brightly. "Professor DeBourgh my dear."  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
Once alone in her own room, Dianna sighed, still rebuking herself for talking to Harry. She hoped the simple shock of finding the new DADA teacher so soon was enough to keep him occupied. If he ever got around to thinking about it, she was sure a bright child like Harry would figure out something had been amiss, especially in the way she had singled him out like that. But she had been unable to help it. Seeing her nephew, her own flesh and blood, had been too much. It was one thing to gaze at his reflection, another to finally meet him face to face. "He'll be so happy once we finally reveal ourselves... that he does have a family after all," she thought happily.   
  
She gazed into her mirror thoughtfully. She hadn't change her appearance at all, which she felt was a mistake. Keeping her own name had been troublesome enough, but the open animousity developing between Fudge and Dumbledore made her feel safer within the Hogwarts castle. Fudge never came here personally anymore, and Ministry influence here was minimal.   
  
Well, if she didn't want Harry to discover their connection too soon, she'd have to do something about her eyes! The unusual emerald color betrayed her parentage, even if her birth hadn't exactly been a natural one ... She shook her head. "No use dwelling on the past, Harry needs me now!" she thought fiercely. "I must save him!"  
  
Filled with purpose, she waved a hand over the mirror, which revealed her Hogwarts informer. "I see why you wanted me here," said Dianna softly to the figure. "But I'm not sure if my powers are enough to protect him ..."  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
"Ron! Hermione!" Harry yelled once he got to the Gryffindor common room.   
  
They looked at him inquisitively. "What?" they said in unison.   
  
"I saw the new DADA teacher!"  
  
"So who is it? Anyone we know?" asked Hermione.  
  
"Someone called DeBourgh, I think," he replied. "But listen, there's something strange about her. I feel as if I should know her ..."  
  
"DeBourgh?" said Hermione. "That sounds so familiar, I wonder why?"  
  
"Maybe you've read about her somewhere?" said Ron helpfully.  
  
Hermione just shook her head. "I don't know."  
  
Harry reflected, "She said no one aound here would know her, so she's definitely not local."  
  
"Can you give me a description?" said Hermione, still frowning. "Without a first name, I'm going to need all the help I can get."  
  
"She seemed sort of young for a professor," said Harry thoughtfully, "but what I remember most was the eyes. They were bright green. I think her hair was brown, but most of it was under her hat, so I'm not too sure."  
  
"I'll start working on that," said Hermione resolutely.   
  
"Don't you have homework and stuff from all those advanced classes you're taking?" said Ron.  
  
Hermione winked. "I've gone through the books already. I'll catch up fast enough."  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
The Gryffindor Tower was dark and silent. The moonlight streamed in through open windows and lit the faces of the slumbering students there. Something sifted through the curtains, but remained unseen by any living thing. Had they been awake, they still would have remained blind to the malignant threat that wallowed in though the window.   
  
Nearly Headless Nick shivered, something he hadn't done in hundreds of years. His eyes widened slightly as he thought he detected something foreign and invasive, but the moment of fear passed, and he continued on his way.  
  
This hideous thing, unhindered, made it's way slowly through the room. Students shivered and pulled there covers closer about them unconsciously as it moved past them. It wandered from bed to bed, looking for one face in particular.  
  
It came upon a black-haired boy, with a strange, lighting bolt scar peeping through the bangs. A pair of glasses rested on a table nearby. Here, the shade rested a while, staring at the young man, knowing that something marked him above the others. But it had a duty, and it overcame it's momentary curiousity to move on, searching for the preordained victim.  
  
The victim was found. The boy moved about restlessly, still asleep. As the shade came closer, the boy shifted his body away from it, but it was not to be put off. It shifted as well, and hesitantly moved closer. It found the boy's face and, like vapor, quickly and surely was absorbed into the victim's head through the nose and ears. It passed on the words of its master into the boy's unsuspecting brain, and a few moments later, drifted back out the window, a harmless breeze.   
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
  
"Harry ..." cried a familiar voice.  
  
"Who's there?" Harry shouted. The voice haunted him, crying out his name sadly over and over.  
  
He closed his eyes and realization struck him. "Mum? Mum?! Is that you?"  
  
"Harry," the voice repeated.  
  
"Mum! Where are you?" he cried out desparately.  
  
The next few words came from far off, a distant echo. He strained his ears to catch his mother's voice.  
  
"In your dreams, Harry! Listen to your dreams ..." The words carried urgency and angst.   
  
"But Mum! I want to see you!" he shouted.  
  
Hazily a shape formed, Harry squinted as the foggy figure drifted toward him until it stood a few inches from his face ...  
  
"Harry! Wake up!"  
  
"Wha ... Ron!"   
  
"You were tossing and turning again. What did you see this time?"  
  
"What did I see?"  
  
"In your dream! Come out with it already. You know it could be important."  
  
Harry stared off into space and said remotely, "I saw two green eyes, staring at me."  
  
Ron couldn't understand that one, and decided to leave Harry alone with whatever vision he had had. "But don't you want to know?" A voice nagged inside him. "You're his best friend. Friends tell each other everything. Bet he'd tell Hermione in a flash ..."  
  
"Come on Harry, I've known you for years. I know when something's up," he blurted out.  
  
Harry supposed it wasn't fair to leave Ron in the dark, especially if he couldn't tell him his biggest secret of all. "I think they were my mum's eyes, Ron. And she was trying to tell me something. Something about dreams."  
  
Ron silently congratulated himself. He was still Harry's *best* friend. "Well, tell me when you get them," he said seriously. "Let's go eat now. We have Potions today."  
  
They shuddered to walked off to the Great Hall.  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~   
  
  
  
During breakfast, the daily crowd of owls flew into the Great Hall, intent on delivering mail. Hedwig flew in a bit later than the rest with not one, but two letters for Harry. "Wow! I suppose Professor McGonagall is done routing through my mail," said Harry gleefully as he fed Hedwig a piece of his toast. Hermione started at that.   
  
"Look! A letter from Sir... I mean Snuffles!" said Harry.  
  
Seeing the attention they were getting from the rest of the Gryffindors, as well as a few Slytherins, they finished their breakfast quickly and moved toward Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.   
  
"What's in the letter?" asked Ron excitedly once they were alone.  
  
Quickly scanning the letter, which was a few scrawled words anyway, Harry said, "Sirius says we're in danger, and that he wants to meet with me in the Forbidden Forest tonight!"  
  
"What's up with you, Hermione?" asked Ron, seeing her frown.   
  
"Something's fishy about this Harry. Why would Sirius want to meet with you, alone, in the Forbidden Forest? He knows you're in a lot of danger!"  
  
"Come off it Hermione," said Ron. "Remember the time you had Professor McGonagall dissect Harry's Firebolt?"  
  
"Hermione, you know he's right," said Harry. "You're too suspicious of everything."  
  
"Ugh!" she yelled. "You guys can be so blind sometimes!" she stomped off.   
  
"Think she went to warn McGonagall?" said Ron fearfully.  
  
"Probably," he agreed. "We have to stop her."  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
  
They managed to catch up with Hermione halfway back to the Great Hall.   
  
"Hermione!" shouted Ron. "Wait up!"  
  
Hermione slowed up a bit, just enough for them to catch up.  
  
"Listen," said Harry. "I can't take a chance on *not* meeting Sirius. He's my godfather! But if it *is* a trap ... you guys can follow me. We'll all share the invisibility cloak to get out of the castle, and then you guys and follow me in it so Sirius can't see you."  
  
Hermione looked hesitant. "I suppose that might work out better. I still think we should tell Professor McGonagall."  
  
"Hermione," said Harry. "If you go to her, we'll still try and get to Sirius. You'll just make it tougher on us."  
  
Hermione bit her lip and finally said, "Alright! But I'm going to go over some advanced spells to make sure we're prepared, just in case this *is* a trap."  
  
"Thanks, Hermione!" said Harry and Ron, and they returned to the Hall together.  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
  
Harry, Hermione, and Ron arrived later than usual to Potions. They were all out of breath, and stumbled into the dungeon. Even though they obviously looked as if they had tried their best to arrive on time, Snape was having none of that.  
  
"Harry Potter," he sneered. "I should have guessed you'd arrive... what's the muggle term for it? Ah yes, 'fashionably late' as usual. Think you're above the rules, don't you? A point from Gryffindor!" He stared down with contempt at Hermione and Ron. "Well, well, anything Harry does, his fans must do as well! A point off the each of you two as well!"  
  
Snape started the lesson. When Draco Malfoy arrived five minutes after Harry, Snape was conveniently staring down at his Potions book long enough to miss Draco's slow swagger to his seat next to Crabbe and Goyle. Harry hated the injustice of it all, but wisely held his tongue. He knew Snape might explode and take off a couple more points from Gryffindor.  
  
"Now ..." Snape's eyes roamed over the nervous students' faces, and predictably landed on Harry's. "Mr. Potter!" he said derisively. "Can you tell me what the root of a mustard plant, when combined with wormwood and a hair from a cat, make?"  
  
"I don't know, Sir."  
  
"What does a rope woven with sweet grass and nettle under a full moon produce?"  
  
"I don't know, Sir."  
  
"As you can see," Snape said triumphantly, "Mr. Potter has fogotten to read his potions book once again! And furthermore..." Snape's voice wandered off as he saw a figure from the corner of his eye. A woman was standing in the doorway, staring straight at him. He caught her glance and was shaken to find two emerald green eyes peering at him. "Lily!" flickered through his brain before he regained his train of thought and turned back to Harry.  
  
"And ... Furthermore ... " What had he been trying to say? Oh yes. "Furthermore, the root of the mustard plant, when combined with wormwood and a cat hair, will reveal any person attempting to diguise themselves as another witch or wizard. A rope woven under a full moon with sweet grass and nettle can cling and trap all but the strongest of creatures in it's embrace for weeks or even years. Take notes! We will be brewing these things today!"  
  
Snape saw the students bend there heads, busily copying everything down. Especially the Granger girl, who was desparately writing foot after foot of notes on her scroll. He glanced back toward the doorway where the woman had been, and found it deserted. He shook his head and returned to his class.   
  
  
  
  
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A/N: Okay you guys, that's the most I can write in one sitting! My brother is calling me a freak for sitting here for hours on the last day of summer vacation. I suppose that means this needs to end for now. I'll update later... It might take awhile as I have LOTS of classes. R/R!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	13. Rude Awakening

Author's Note: Um, sorry? I've forgotten all about this... I'll finish it up for you all quickly... get it resolved in a few more chapters... Seeing this story collecting dust saddens me....:'( You guys probably don't even remember me anymore....   
  
  
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Chapter 14  
Rude Awakening  
  
  
  
Harry was dreaming. It had become a relatively normal occurrence these days, but not even the past few nights had warned Harry about the danger in napping. Flailing and kicking about, with his face scrunched up, a completely foreign expression draped his usually benevolent features. Hatred.   
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
"Rise and shine!" said Ron cheerfully as he shrugged his long-time pal awake.   
  
"Waa....huh?"   
  
Groggily, Harry blinked at Ron. "Ugh, can't you see I'm trying to sleep?"  
  
Not to be deterred, Ron promptly tossed him out of his chair.  
  
"You didn't have to do that!" said Harry crossly, rubbing a now aching backside. And, to his amazement, found that he ached all over. Attempting to stand, he lifted one leg, only to feel it plop heavily back down to the ground.   
  
"Ron... I feel like I've just run a marathon in my sleep!"  
  
"Perhaps you did," shrugged Ron. "That still doesn't change the fact that we both need to meet Sirius. Now, move!"  
  
"You're right, Ron, but let me stretch out a little," said Harry, wincing.  
  
He had thought a quick nap before meeting his god-father would've made him more alert come nightfall. Instead, he felt drained and tired, haunted by feelings of depression from a dream he couldn't even remember.   
  
Looking at Ron, he couldn't help but feel jealous. His friend was practically jumping off the walls, a hard light of excitement in his eyes. Honestly, couldn't he just pretend to be a little less... energetic? It almost hurt to look at him.  
  
Ron opened the curtains of the classroom Harry had been using to nap in, demonstrating to Harry, who was just putting on his glasses, the darkening sky.  
  
"I planned everything just right," said Ron quickly. "I've enchanted our beds so that anyone who takes so much as a glance at them will imagine that we're in there, fast asleep."  
  
"Ron, I didn't know you could do that!" said Harry, impressed.   
  
Ron's eyes darkened for a second, before he chirped back brightly, "With friends like you and Hermione, I have to learn a few tricks, if I want to keep up. Don't I?" Not allowing Harry a chance to answer, he continued, "Anyway, we won't be missed for the moment. You have the invisibility cloak, right?"  
  
Harry nodded, patting a bag hanging from his side, where it jiggled against the wand he had secured to his side.  
  
"Then, let's go."  
  
Allowing Ron to drag him off, he realized where they were going only after a few minutes.  
  
"You're heading for the secret passageway already? Shouldn't we wait for Hermione?"  
  
"Hemione? Come off it, Harry. She's probably already told on us. You saw how she reacted to Sirius' letter."  
  
"Well, yes," stumbled Harry, "but she'd never... not after promising us..."  
  
"Sirius might be hurt, all alone in the woods, while we're here waiting for the professors to catch us out!"   
  
That got Harry moving faster. Losing Sirius, the only true link he had left with his parents, was too painful to even dwell upon.  
  
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
They scurried into the hidden passageway quickly in the dark, mostly from all the experience they'd gained throughout their years at Hogwarts, quiet and fearful of being found out.   
  
Arriving safely at the first secret stairway, it was Ron who broke the silence. "Remember all those years ago, when we first snuck out of here?"   
  
Rather surprised by this, Harry paused. "Yes," he said softly, recognizing the seriousness in Ron's tone.  
  
"Those were some good times, huh?" he said whimsically. "Back before... well, back before Voldemort."  
  
Ron opened his mouth as if to continue, when they both heard something moving behind them.   
  
Harry turned his head toward the sound, whispering, "Ron, did you hear...?" when he felt something hard and heavy hit his head, throwing him off balance. Toward the dark twisting stairs.  
  
Gasping, his hands grasped frantically for his wand, only to feel emptiness at his side. Craning his neck as he fell, he used the last bit of his strength to look back up the stairs, where Ron was probably desperately fighting for his life against whatever alien force had shoved him ruthlessly to certain death.  
  
  
  
  
And he got the biggest shock of his life.  
  
  
  
  
His one, last look probably lasted for a fraction of a second, but to Harry, it all happened in slow motion. In that one glance that seemed to last a lifetime, he saw everything with a sudden burst of clarity, and a certain sense of deja vu. The person who had come up behind them, he now saw, had been Hermione, who had a toothy grin frozen on her face. But her eyes... her eyes followed him as he plunged into the dark depths.   
  
To her side was Ron, whom Harry saw, sported a fierce smile, two wands grasped in his right hand. "My wand," he realized.   
  
And then, all he saw were stairs. Dozens upon dozens of harsh, stone steps rolling about his vision, and the sound of crunching bone filled his ears.   
  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
Walking along the halls, busily searching out Harry and Ron, she had caught, out of the corner of her eye, Ron's bright red hair heading down a familiar corridor and had decided to catch up. They had walked quicky though, even with Ron half-carrying a bemused Harry after him, which was why she hadn't been able to catch up until she had passed the entrance to the secret passageway. Coming up behind them loudly, she saw Harry turn his head toward her and she had smiled despite her anger at being ditched by her two friends.  
  
Then the most unexpected thing happened. Ron's face contorted, becoming not the friendly, amicable Ron she had known for five years, but some sort of monster who posessed Ron's face, his hair, his voice... but was definitely not Ron. HER Ron didn't have that crazed, fanatical light in his eyes, had definitely not swung at his own best friend while his back was turned... no....   
  
And then, all there was to do was watch as Harry's helpless body flailed about frantically, before falling down... down...   
  
She wanted to scream, wanted to curse, wanted to do something. But her body was frozen in shock. She heard the rumple of soft flesh hitting harsh edges, and then, a loud, sharp crack that echoed loudly throughout the twisting passage.  
  
"No... oh my God..." she whispered, finding herself. She rushed down the stairs. "Harry, Harry!" It came out, a dry, cracked sound that she could hardly recognize. Dully, she noted that it took her quite a few minutes to reach his prone body at the base of the stairs, even at a full-out, reckless run, a cry of hysteria breaking from her as she saw the unnatural twist of his neck.   
  
Bending over his body, she rocked his body with her suddenly clumsy hands, searching for a pulse. She didn't dare touch his neck... she didn't want to look at it at all. She felt for his wrist, trying to remember the proper spot...  
  
...when she realized her second bit of folly for the day as she felt something hit the back of her head, and she slumped to the ground.  
  
  
  
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It took Ron a moment to figure out just where the hell he was. His head was swimming, and his hands automatically reached for his temples. Except he ended up knocking himself hard with the stone that was clenched in his right fist. "What...?" he thought absently, bringing whatever it was that was in his hand up to the light. And dropped it with a scream. The rock was speckled with blood. "Oh, I think I'm going to puke," he muttered. "Hey, Harry... where'd you run off to?"  
  
He took a step and stumbled, catching himself before he fell and accidently killed himself. Deciding to bring out his wand, he confusing himself even more as he found he was actually carrying two wands at his side. Things were going very, very oddly.   
  
He looked back at the ground, trying to see what had tripped him, but all he saw was the smooth stone floor. Shrugging, he refocused on the issue on hand. Reaching Sirius. Wherever Harry had suddenly decided to disappear to, he would probably find him with his godfather anyhow. And it wasn't exactly as if Harry wasn't prone toward disappearing. He had, afterall, the invisibility cloak.  
  
"I won't let him down," he thought stubbornly. "Can't go back now, Hermione probably has the entire place upside down looking for us. Learning that stupid spell for nothing..."  
  
And he continued on his way toward the end of the passage, the foreign evil in his mind ever whispering.  
  
  
**to be continued...**  
  
  
  
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Ouch! Sorry to end this itty witty chapter with a cliffhanger... I've been trying to reach this point in the story for a looooooooooong time. :-D Aren't I evil... It's all coming to a head now, isn't it? Ron is brain-dead and it seems Hermione and Harry really ARE dead... R/R for the next action-packed chapter! I promise I'll let you guys know more about dear ol' VOldy and and Auntie Di real soon ;-) Right now, I have a calculus midterm with my name on it... (gulp) 


End file.
